Congressional investigators say some foreign intelligence analysts believe U.S. intelligence is underestimating Iran's progress toward designing a nuclear warhead before Tehran halted its program in 2003.
The foreign analysts believe that Iran ended its work because it had made sufficient progress, not because of international pressure, as the 2007 U.S. national intelligence assessment concluded.
The report by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee did not identify its sources, referring only to "intelligence analysts and nuclear experts working for foreign governments." It says some research was conducted in Israel, which has been publicly critical of the 2007 U.S. assessment.
The foreign analysts believe "intelligence indicates Iran had produced a suitable design, manufactured some components and conducted enough successful explosives tests to put the project on the shelf until it manufactured the fissile material required for several weapons," the report says.
The revelations by the committee, headed by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., come as President Barack Obama is promising direct engagement with Iran and seeking diplomatic openings. The report backs the Obama administration's approach but recommends balancing new openings with continued pressure.
Wait, that's John Kerry's committee? How embarrassing. He doesn't even look Neoconish.
It is probably a bit of butt covering in case the Obama administration misses Iran's nuclear threshold completely. The Senate, at least, will say they warned us. Even though they still say they support the president's policy, it makes just enough of a warning for a US Senator to claim wisdom and foresight and so absolve themselves of all responsibility.
And that is far more important than actually stopping Iran from going nuclear.
