Even More Chatter On An Iranian Military Option

Time relays some more chatter/balloon floating regarding military strikes against Iran.

Different tunes are not quite being sung yet…but they are being hummed.

The Iran options are all bad, but the current approach is clearly not working. That’s what happens when you are dealing with a very serious and determined adversary.  Plus, Iran has cover from China, Russia, Brazil, and Turkey, who aren’t quite sponsors, but who clearly have different interests than the U.S. and our gulf region allies.

Still, it seems unlikely U.S. leadership or direct action against Iran is likely given the current leadership team and environment.  The people of Iran may be divided regarding their own leadership, but there’s nothing like a war to bring them together.

The idea of preventive efforts to keep Iran from getting to this point would be viewed in hindsight as brilliant.  Of course, that option was politically neutered with the 2007 NIE.

Perhaps the Israelis have it right–go in, bust up the stuff as best you can, get out, and repeat as required.

Free Agent Nuclear Spy Took The Money And Run?

The Iranian “scientist,” (yes, those are irony quotes) Shahram Amiri,who appears to have been on U.S. soil for some time is alleged to have been paid $5 million by the CIA for his efforts.  I’d say money well spent, especially since Amiri will be unable to access his cash.

Shahram Amiri departed the U.S. and arrived in Iran the other morning.  We likely won’t hear from him again for a while unless its useful to Iran from a propaganda point of view.  No doubt they’re actively plotting their ‘splainin’ activities as we speak.

The State Department’s presentation that he was here to study, however, doesn’t pass the smell test.  Otherwise, you’d think we’d have a boatload of ‘students’ from Syria, Iran, North Korea, and Myanmar here in the states studying all things nuclear.

The CIA was way out in front of this guy when this was put together: