Hey, Let’s Write A New National Intel Estimate!

The WSJ reports the spys are considering a rewrite of the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate. 

Why?  Mainly because the conclusions in the 2007 NIE about Iran’s nuclear program have shown themselves at odds with reality.

Included in the got-it-wrong bin is the now infamous “high confidence” estimate that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and the associated “moderate confidence” that it hadn’t restarted the program as of mid-2007.

Tell me again why we would be pursuing sanctions unless we thought Iran had a nuclear program? 

A new NIE–if it is just updated to reflect actual truths–will serve no use at this point.  It is analogous to closing the barn door after the cows are already out.

Russian Help Is On The Way!

Russia has responded to Iran’s short-range rocket tests by acknowledging that they are “causing concern.”

Likewise, Russia will boldly lead the way on the rogue Iranian nuclear program by encouraging Iran to cooperate with the IAEA.

More beneficial approaches are discussed at Wired here and here.

Also, what are the implications/parallels of the revelation of Iran’s secret nuclear facility with regard to their missile programs? Is it possible we don’t know what we don’t know?