Turning Iran into a reliable
pro-Western puppet state is a long-sought US goal. All options are considered,
including war.
Tactics include calling Iran a threat to world peace, falsely accusing
Tehran of terrorist attacks, and fabricating lies about an alleged nuclear
weapons program despite no corroborating evidence whatever.
Focusing largely on defense and security issues, the Washington-based
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) advances US interests
"to sustain American prominence and prosperity as a force for good in
the world." It's closely connected to high level administration, congressional,
and Pentagon officials.
Its trustees include top corporate and former high level political ones.
They include Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Brent Scowcroft,
Richard Armitage, Harold Brown, William S. Cohen, and William E. Brock.
On May 7, CSIS national security analyst Anthony Cordesman issued a
report titled "Rethinking Our Approach to Iran's Search for the Bomb."
He chose a road previously traveled, saying:
"We badly need to rethink our approach to Iran’s nuclear programs. We
are putting far too much emphasis on Iran’s nuclear efforts without
considering how these programs fit into Iran’s over military and strategic
objectives."
"At the same time, we are placing too much emphasis on whether Iran
has revived its formal nuclear program and the current shape of its
nuclear facilities."
Iran has advanced "far beyond the point where it lacked the technology
base to produce nuclear weapons...."
"Iran has pursued every major area of nuclear weapons development, has
carried out programs that have already given it every component of a
weapon except fissile material, and there is strong evidence that it
has carried out programs to integrate a nuclear warhead on to its missiles."
"The threat Iran’s nuclear efforts pose" go way beyond its uranium enrichment
capability. Its programs "have been examined in depth in recent reports
by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)."
Its unclassified reports "clearly outline just how far Iran may have
gotten."
In May 2011, IAEA alleged seven areas of concern, including:
(1) Neutron generator and associated diagnostics experiments.
(2) Uranium conversion and metallurgy capability to produce nuclear
device components.
(3) High explosives manufacture and testing.
(4) Exploding bridgewire (EBW) detonator studies with possible nuclear
significance.
(5) Experiments related to hemispherical high explosive charges.
(6) High voltage firing equipment tests over long distances and possibly
underground.
(7) Missile re-entry vehicle studies pertaining to spherical nuclear
payloads.
In November 2011, IAEA claimed:
"The Agency has serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions
to Iran’s nuclear program. After assessing carefully and critically
the extensive information available to it, the Agency finds the information
to be, overall, credible."
"The information indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant
to the development of a nuclear explosive device. The information also
indicates that prior to the end of 2003, these activities took place
under a structured program, and that some activities may still be ongoing."
Cordesman believes Iran maintains an ongoing nuclear weapons program.
He cites IAEA reports as evidence. Official Tehran denials are false,
he claims. His analysis states:
Despite sanctions and close monitoring, Iran received highly specialized
instruments and equipment. Its scientific expertise is well advanced.
It's able to conduct nuclear device tests. Preparations were made for
them.
Iran is well advanced on multiple nuclear development fronts. IAEA monitoring
suggests but hasn't detected them. Attacking its facilities won't prevent
continuation of its program. Only multiple strikes perhaps can succeed.
"No assessment of Iran’s military behavior, and its level of interest
in nuclear weapons, should however, ignore the fact that nuclear weapons
represent a key part of its overall strategic and military goals and
force posture."
Tehran won't abandon its efforts. It believes a nuclear capability is
its best defense. It may have advanced beyond the point of reversing
it. America and Israel must structure their diplomatic and military
options with these considerations in mind.
Cordesman bases his analysis on falsified IAEA claims. Previous articles
discussed them. They stressed that US intelligence assessments through
March 2012 found no evidence of Iranian nuclear weapons development.
Neither did former IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei during his December 1,
1997 - November 30, 2009 tenure. He carefully avoided baseless anti-Iranian
charges.
In October 2009, the Agency leaked a document titled "Possible Dimensions
of Iran's Nuclear Program" to the New York Times. At issue was circumventing
ElBaradei. Allegations in it were spurious. As a result, he refused
to endorse it.
Two months later, Washington replaced him with Yukiya Amano. In December
2010, the London Guardian published a leaked US embassy cable saying
he's "director general of all states, but in agreement with us." Its
title was: "Amano ready for prime time."
A November 2010 Guardian article headlined, "Nuclear Wikileaks: Cables
show cosy US relationship with (new) IAEA chief." State Department official
Geoffrey Pyatt was quoted, saying:
Amano will "overcome bureaucratic inertia (and) modernize Agency operations...."
He's "solidly in the US court on every key strategic decision, from
high-level personnel appointments to the handling of Iran's alleged
nuclear weapons program."
A July 2010 Pratt cable called replacing ElBaradei "a once-a-decade
opportunity.... to position the new director general for strong leadership
from the DG's office."
Amano hasn't disappointed. Through conjecture, dubious intelligence,
and false allegations, he claims Iran's nuclear program has "possible
military dimensions."
Evidence supposedly came from a dubious laptop smuggled out of the country.
"Laptop" is code language for suspect unnamed sources. Alleged documents
weren't made public.
Amano's reports were based on forged, long ago discredited, discounted,
or nonexistent ones. Nothing new in them was revealed. Material from
2004 and earlier was manipulated to look current.
Using identical information, US intelligence and ElBaradei reached opposite
conclusions. Amano manipulated, twisted, hyped, and misused material.
Other alleged evidence was fabricated to look real.
Cordesman and others bought it. Their analysis is inaccurate and flawed.
Doing so plays a dangerous game. CSIS has close ties to top Washington
and Pentagon officials.
Cordesman's voice is heard. His report gives war advocates more justification
to wage it. Doing so follows a familiar pattern of lies, deception,
and hyped fear. This time the potential consequences are devastating.
Besides irradiating widespread areas inside and beyond Iran's borders,
embroiling the entire region may result. General war involving China
and Russia could follow.
Risks this great should be avoided at all costs. Wars are never the
right option. Waging them assures endless violence and destruction.
This one should give Washington's most belligerent hawks pause. If nuclear
bunker busters are used, a potential holocaust could follow. Imagine
leaders willing to risk it. Imagine the aftermath if they do.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized
Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"
http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge
discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News
Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time
and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy
listening.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/
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