Fascinating. An imperial courtier holding the opinion of his superiors in contravention of reality? I've never seen something like that before!

The IAEA's Mohamed ElBaredei is the gold standard on this issue.
Accept no substitutes.

Why does the US Obama administration hold itself and its clients India, Israel and Pakistan to a lower NPT standards than Iran?

Don't they know it just makes them look like a bunch of schmucks?

Even if Iran was building a nuclear bomb – so what? The real problem for our leaders is that Iran is defying the almighty U.S. and we simply can’t have that now can we. And when has intelligence gathered by the various agencies ever been used to shape our foreign policy? It is actually the reverse as in the build-up to the Iraq War. Recall those aluminum tubes.

Hm. Couldn't we, like, fire these guys and make our lies in cheaper lie factories south of the border? I'm sure that Bayh and Panetta are being paid more than need be.

I think that it is possible for Iran to be seeking a nuclear weapons capability - some time in the future - and yet currently not be aggressive in its development of fissile material. Maybe it's all focused on building plans and finances right now.

At the same time, as Rob says, so what? If we could get the intel community to get off its ass and actually dare to make a statement as to the consequences of an Iranian nuclear weapons program, it would be a minor miracle. Let Iran have a nuke, and then demand that it be a responsible member of the world community. Could be that Iran accepts that challenge.

TOOO bad Valerie Plame was outed in such a TREASONOUS manner, since, from what I understand, she was all wired into Iran with her network.

Mar 2, 2007: Obama: The world must work to stop Iran’s uranium enrichment program and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons

National Intelligence Estimate, Dec 4, 2007 . . .. We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program

IAEA Report, May 26, 2008: "The Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran."

July 25, 2008 . .Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, nearing the end of a fast-paced international campaign trip, warned Iran today, "don't wait for the next president" to take office before yielding to Western demands to dismantle its nuclear weapons program. . .Iran poses "an extraordinarily grave situation." He said the world must send "a clear message to Iran to end its illicit nuclear program."

NPT: "Nothing in this Treaty shall be interpreted as affecting the inalienable right of all the Parties to the Treaty to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with articles I and II of this Treaty."

Sep 6, 2008 ...Iran is a “major threat” and it would be “unacceptable” for the rogue nation to develop a nuclear weapon, Barack Obama said

IAEA Report, September 15, 2008: "The Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran. Iran has provided the Agency with access to declared nuclear material and has provided the required nuclear material accounting reports in connection with declared nuclear material and activities."

Oct 2, 2008 . . .Obama: "The American people weren't just failed by a President - they were failed by much of Washington. By a media that too often reported spin instead of facts. . .I will always tell the American people the truth."

Nov 7, 2008 ... U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said in Chicago on Friday that Iran's development of nuclear weapons is unacceptable.

IAEA Report on Iran, Nov 19, 2008 -- "The Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran. Iran has provided the Agency with access to declared nuclear material and has provided the required nuclear material accounting reports in connection with declared nuclear material and activities."

Dec 7, 2008 . . .Obama: "We need to ratchet up tough but direct diplomacy with Iran, making very clear to them that their development of nuclear weapons would be unacceptable"

Jan 11, 2009 . . .Obama: "[Iran is] pursuing a nuclear weapon that could potentially trigger a nuclear arms race."

What Salty said, the very first comment in this thread.

So, the US establishment wants to bully Iran and make it fall in line. We know that, it's not new, not surprising.

Some thought that the new administration will repeal the laws of nature, but the earth is still going round the sun. Oh well, maybe next week.

ElBaredei is good but he's no gold standard. He's in fact become part of the problem.

The IAEA November report "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and 1835 (2008) in the Islamic Republic of Iran" includes (as stated in the title) not only information on the Safeguards Agreement (Iran is in full compliance) but other foolishness on matters that the US managed to shove through the UN that go beyond the Safeguards and are legally no business of the United Nations.

E. Possible Military Dimensions
15. There remain a number of outstanding issues, identified in the Director General’s last report to the Board (GOV/2008/38, para. 14), which give rise to concerns and need to be clarified to exclude the existence of possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme. As indicated in the Director General’s report, for the Agency to be able to address these concerns and make progress in its efforts to provide assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran, it is essential that Iran, inter alia, provide the information and access necessary to: resolve questions related to the alleged studies; provide more information on the circumstances of the acquisition of the uranium metal document; clarify procurement and R&D activities of military related institutes and companies that could be nuclear related; and clarify the production of nuclear equipment and components by companies belonging to defence industries.///

Elbaradei had a choice. He could buckle or he could be fired. He chose to buckle.

Iran, like Iraq before it, is being asked to prove a negative -- to "resolve questions" on "alleged studies" that are merely US fabrications meant to confront Iran with impossible requirements thereby building a case for war.