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Panetta: Iran is Not Developing Nuclear Weapons
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Booster Brown
Feb 17, 2012, 8:35:08 PM2/17/12
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Panetta: Iran is Not Developing Nuclear Weapons
. .
Though Iran is enriching uranium, Panetta explained, they have not
demonstrated any intention of building a bomb
. . by John
Glaser, February 16, 2012
. . Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday that Iran is enriching uranium in a
peaceful nuclear program but that Tehran has not decided to develop an
atomic bomb.
. .
Top U.S. military and intelligence officials gave separate testimonies
in congressional hearings on Thursday regarding Iran, and while they all
reiterated the consensus that Iran?s nuclear program is purely civilian
in nature, they also kept up the tough talk, hoping to satisfy hawks
eager to preemptively strike Iran.
. .
Panetta explained emphatically that any move from Iran to develop
nuclear weapons is a 'red line' for the U.S. "We will not allow
Iran to develop a nuclear weapon," he said. "That is the red line that
would concern us and that would ensure that the international community,
hopefully together, would respond."
. .
"But the intelligence does not show that they've made the decision to
proceed with developing a nuclear weapon," Panetta added. This has been
a bit of an inconvenient truth for Washington as they continue to heap
crippling economic sanctions on Iran supposedly out of suspicion of
their nuclear program.
They've also continued to support Israel
' and refuse to criticize it' even while Tel Aviv has supported
terrorist operations against Iranian nuclear scientists.
. .
Iran, on the defensive, has made announcements about new,
domestically-made centrifuges that were installed at the main uranium
enrichment site at Natanz, branding that and other such developments
as some nuclear 'milestone.' But U.S. State Department spokeswoman
Victoria Nuland said Wednesday the announcement was 'hyped' for a
domestic audience.
. .
"Our view on this is that it's not terribly new and it's not terribly
impressive," she said.
. .
Panetta also reiterated the oft-repeated euphemism for potential
military attack against Iran, 'we do keep all options on the table.'
This helped lend legitimacy for political opportunists in the GOP to
fear-monger about an imminent Iranian nuclear bomb, as House Speaker
John Boehner did.
. .
Last 5 posts by John Glaser
. .
Karzai Meets with Iran, Pakistan After Being Excluded from Taliban Talks
- February 16th, 2012
. .
Israeli Officials Blame Iran for Recent Bombings, Despite Lack of
Evidence - February 16th, 2012
Top Israeli Officials Diverge on Iran Statements - February 16th, 2012
Top US Official: Iran Unlikely to Attack the West - February 16th, 2012
Two US Drone Strikes Kill Up to 21 People in Pakistan - February 16th,
2012
. .
http://news.antiwar.com/2012/02/16/panetta-iran-is-not-developing-nuclear-weapons/
. .
Though Iran is enriching uranium, Panetta explained, they have not
demonstrated any intention of building a bomb
. . by John
Glaser, February 16, 2012
. . Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday that Iran is enriching uranium in a
peaceful nuclear program but that Tehran has not decided to develop an
atomic bomb.
. .
Top U.S. military and intelligence officials gave separate testimonies
in congressional hearings on Thursday regarding Iran, and while they all
reiterated the consensus that Iran?s nuclear program is purely civilian
in nature, they also kept up the tough talk, hoping to satisfy hawks
eager to preemptively strike Iran.
. .
Panetta explained emphatically that any move from Iran to develop
nuclear weapons is a 'red line' for the U.S. "We will not allow
Iran to develop a nuclear weapon," he said. "That is the red line that
would concern us and that would ensure that the international community,
hopefully together, would respond."
. .
"But the intelligence does not show that they've made the decision to
proceed with developing a nuclear weapon," Panetta added. This has been
a bit of an inconvenient truth for Washington as they continue to heap
crippling economic sanctions on Iran supposedly out of suspicion of
their nuclear program.
They've also continued to support Israel
' and refuse to criticize it' even while Tel Aviv has supported
terrorist operations against Iranian nuclear scientists.
. .
Iran, on the defensive, has made announcements about new,
domestically-made centrifuges that were installed at the main uranium
enrichment site at Natanz, branding that and other such developments
as some nuclear 'milestone.' But U.S. State Department spokeswoman
Victoria Nuland said Wednesday the announcement was 'hyped' for a
domestic audience.
. .
"Our view on this is that it's not terribly new and it's not terribly
impressive," she said.
. .
Panetta also reiterated the oft-repeated euphemism for potential
military attack against Iran, 'we do keep all options on the table.'
This helped lend legitimacy for political opportunists in the GOP to
fear-monger about an imminent Iranian nuclear bomb, as House Speaker
John Boehner did.
. .
Last 5 posts by John Glaser
. .
Karzai Meets with Iran, Pakistan After Being Excluded from Taliban Talks
- February 16th, 2012
. .
Israeli Officials Blame Iran for Recent Bombings, Despite Lack of
Evidence - February 16th, 2012
Top Israeli Officials Diverge on Iran Statements - February 16th, 2012
Top US Official: Iran Unlikely to Attack the West - February 16th, 2012
Two US Drone Strikes Kill Up to 21 People in Pakistan - February 16th,
2012
. .
http://news.antiwar.com/2012/02/16/panetta-iran-is-not-developing-nuclear-weapons/
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