Panetta Admits Iran Is Not Close to Nuclear Weapons

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta finally decided to listen to the intelligence experts and admit that Iran is not close to building nuclear weapons, and it may be only “laying the groundwork for making nuclear weapons someday.” That’s what nuclear experts, energy experts in the US and Israel, and intelligence experts in both the US and Israel have been saying for years.

It is still not clear how Panetta came to the conclusion that Iran is laying such groundwork, except may be from the rabid propaganda of the regime in Tehran, which as we know can not be trusted. The enrichment of uranium to 20% U-235 content is not even close to the weapon-grade level of 90%; the small quantities of 20%-enriched uranium can be used only for nuclear fuel and for medical purposes, and a number of nations in the world have the facilities to enrich uranium to that level. The 20%-grade is useless for military purposes.

Meanwhile, Panetta warned Israel not to attack the Iranian nuclear facilities. A pointless warning, given the fact that the Israeli cabinet is opposed to such attack anyway, and that Israeli intelligence officials – former and current – strongly advise against it. While the Israeli government wants to keep the current balance of powers in the region, apparently they are not concerned about Iran’s nuclear program enough to find a strike necessary. They listen to the experts.

Not so with our own chickenhawks among the Republican candidates who keep beating the war drums without any evidence that a war is necessary. With the exception of one, all the Republican candidates for nominee vow to lead America in a new war only to stop Iran from even having a nuclear program, even though there is no evidence that such program really will lead to the production of a nuclear weapon. Nor is there any evidence that Iran does have the technologies to enrich uranium beyond the low level of 20%. But evidence be damned when it gets in the way of political agendas. Therefore we will continue to hear the war drums, at least for the next several months.

And of course, we will continue to see the Iran-scare used to further destroy our liberties here at home in legislation like the Patriot Act and the new NDAA extensions.

Tagged with

Iran, Leon Panetta, nuclear weapon, war propaganda

barry

I meant "mUCH like Jeffersons…Typo…
Don Rushing

I would not believe the Obama Administration on telling the truth on anything. It would be best to prepare for the worst when we are dealing with our enemies around the world. This country is far better off without a socialist/marxist that we have in the white house at the present time. Conservatism equals patriotism with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Socialism/
marxism equals taxes, regulations,death, slavery and no hope for a brighter future.
Don Rushing

Don't believe what Barry and company of socialist/marxists throw out and hoping it sticks to the wall.
pappap

He is a politician what the HELL does he know?(JERK)
Johnathan

Is everyone in government a) dumb, b) a liar or c) both dumb and liar. Please vote your concience while you still can.
SEAN MURRY

everyone in the govenment are dumb and dumber.
Phoenix Ops

He was following the orders of his "leader" to scare people into thinking this. That proves Panette isn't capable of or doesn't have the ability to check these matters on his own, or has just flat ass LIED to the American people. And he was the former head of the CIA???? No wonder our intelligence is screwed up!!!
julian

And of course, we will continue to see the Iran-scare used to further destroy our liberties here at home in legislation like the Patriot Act and the new NDAA extensions—–These people have no shame they will promote thier agendas with any lies that suit thier purpose. We must remain ever vigilante as our congress seems to buy into ther crap hook line and sinker every time. We had better start electing people based on intellligence instead of experience. After all what does experience at a government job really mean???
b. gunnar

John Bolton sheds light on making Weapon grade enriched Uranium:
John R. Bolton | Financial Times
Iran is much closer to weapons-grade enriched uranium than readers have been led to believe.

(Speaking of a similar) report, “Iran moves ahead with nuclear programme” (May 24), contained the following sentence: “Iran has also declared that it has enriched uranium to a level of 4.8 percent–enough to serve as nuclear fuel, but far short of the levels of about 90 percent needed for atomic weapons.”The plain implication of the sentence is that Iran has a long way to go before it creates the highly enriched uranium (HEU) it needs for weapons purposes–all the way from roughly 5 percent (low enriched uranium or LEU) to HEU’s 90 percent.

This implication is false. Enriching a given quantity of natural uranium by centrifuges to LEU levels of the U235 isotope in fact consumes approximately 70 percent of the work and time required to reach HEU concentrations of the isotope. Thus, Iran is not “far short” of HEU levels; it is more than two-thirds of the way there for each kilogram of uranium feedstock it enriches.( Your readers ( of the other article)should not be misled on this point.)