Posted on 10/19/2017 1:40:15 PM PDT by Colonel Kangaroo
When it comes to Iran, do basic facts matter? Evidently not, since dozens and dozens of journalists keep casually reporting that Iran has a “nuclear weapons program” when it does not—a problem FAIR has reported on over the years (e.g., 9/9/15). Let’s take a look at some of the outlets spreading this falsehood in just the past five days:
Business Insider (10/13/17): “The deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), aims to incentivize Iran to curb its nuclear weapons program by lifting crippling international economic sanctions.” New Yorker (10/16/17): “One afternoon in late September, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called a meeting of the six countries that came together in 2015 to limit Iran’s nuclear weapons program.” Washington Post (10/16/17): “The administration is also considering changing or scrapping an international agreement regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons program.” CNN (10/17/17): “In reopening the nuclear agreement, [Trump] risks having Iran advance its nuclear weapons program at a time when he confronts a far worse nuclear challenge from North Korea that he can’t resolve.” The problem with all of these excerpts: Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. It has a civilian nuclear energy program, but not one designed to build weapons. Over 30 countries have civilian nuclear programs; only a handful—including, of course, the US and Israel—have nuclear weapons programs. One is used to power cities, one is used to level them.
If you are skeptical, just refer to a 2007 assessment by all 16 US intelligences agencies (yes, those 16 US intelligence agencies), which found Iran had “halted” its nuclear weapons program. Or look at the same National Intelligence Estimate in 2012, which concluded again that there “is no hard evidence that Iran has decided to build a nuclear bomb.” Or we can listen to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, which concurred with the US intelligence assessment (Haaretz, 3/18/12).
The “Iran Deal,” formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is built on curbing Iran’s civilian nuclear program, out of fear—fair or not—that it could one day morph into a nuclear weapons program. But at present, there is no evidence, much less a consensus, that Iran has an active nuclear weapons program. JCPOA cannot be used as per se evidence such a program exists today; indeed, it is specifically designed to prevent such a program from developing down the road.
A slightly less egregious variant of this canard is when outlets suggest the JCPOA stopped an ongoing existing weapons program—though they don’t make the mistake of saying it still exists: The JCPOA “called for the elimination of economic sanctions Iran in exchange for Tehran giving up its nuclear weapons program,” USA Today (10/13/17) wrote. US and Israeli intelligence do claim that Iran once had a nuclear weapons program—but they say it ended in 2003, not in 2015 as a result of the JCPOA.
The distinction between nuclear energy and nuclear weapons is, of course, non-trivial. Every time the media mindlessly report Iran has a “nuclear weapons program” rather than a “nuclear program” (or, better, a “nuclear energy” or “nuclear power program”), they further advance the myth that Iran’s intentions or “ambitions” are to build a nuclear bomb, which is something we have no evidence it is doing or plans to do—at least since the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a fatwa against building nuclear weapons in 2003 (Foreign Policy, 10/16/14).
So why do some many reporters keep mucking this up? A few reasons: It’s just a mantra repeated ad infinitum, and journalists and pundits often mindlessly repeat an oft-repeated phrase. Some, such as nuclear arms expert Jeffrey Lewis at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at Middlebury Institute, think it’s simply an issue of reporters not knowing how to express a complicated idea.
“I often see this point [about the civilian vs weapons program] mangled. I don’t think it’s malice, just a writer or editor not knowing how to express an idea,” he said on social media. “The JCPOA imposes measures that constrain Iran’s nuclear energy program to provide confidence that the program remains peaceful,” he added, offering an example of how that idea can be expressed.
Another major reason for this recurring falsehood, as FAIR (7/6/17) noted after the New York Times twice “mistakenly” accused Iran of carrying out 9/11 (one of the smears going uncorrected for over three years), is that one can say pretty much anything about Iran without any professional or public backlash. Because Iran is an Official US Enemy, and its motives are therefore always deemed sinister, the idea that it is plotting to violate the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and build a nuclear weapon is simply taken as a given. The lack of hard evidence for this is irrelevant: Intentions of those in the crosshairs of US power are always presented as cynical and malicious; those of the US and its allies benevolent and in good faith. Iran’s sinister motives are simply the default setting—no matter much evidence points to the contrary.
Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons.
Iran has a ballistic missile program, and a uranium enrichment program.
For warhead design and testing, it partners with North Korea.
“Trust but verify,” said Ronald Reagan.
Obama set up a deal so stupid that there was front end loading of benefits to all parties (except us), but no way to verify. We have to accept whatever dirt Iran puts in a jar as a valid sample from the off-limit military sites where the nuclear research would be done.
Nor can you trust this website. Oh it’s only a domestic nuclear power program, constructed way underground. Give me a break.
North Korea doesn’t have a nuclear weapons program either, right?; IDIOT!
Uh, so they have a Nuclear Energy program that allows them to produce highly enriched uranium and to subsequently extract plutonium from that used fuel.
All they then need is an implosion trigger, something any college engineering student can make.
Sure, it’s not a miniature warhead, but if they can get it under 1,000lbs they can get it aloft on a missile.
So, yeah, it’s a nuclear weapons program because it’s an effort to master the nuclear cycle.
there’s no evidence...
there’s no evidence...
there’s no evidence...
There’s no evidence...until there is. Iran would not be burying their facilities 300 feet underground for civilian nuclear power. They would not be refusing inspections for civvy nuclear power. There is no reason to believe that Syria’s nuclear reactor (destroyed by Israeli airstrike) was for civilian purposes and Syria, being a wholly owned subsidiary of Iran, does not undertake things like nuclear reactors without Iran knowing about it. With possible cooperation from either Pakistan or North Korea, there is no reason to believe that tech will proliferate from these poor countries to countries that can pay up for nuke tech. Wehn I worked on a cruise ship and docked at St. Peterburg, there were literally acres of crated Russian gear addressed to IRNA Iran Nuclear Agency. It was huge weldments and cabinets of gear and was very obviously reactor components.
If they have centrifuges in great numbers, they can start to produce weapons-grade uranium any time they want, just by not stopping at 5% enrichment.
One of these days an American (or Israeli) populace is going to wake up to Jon Kerry mumbling “oh fudge, looks like I was wrong” and a city or two in smoldering ruins.
I think Mr. Johnson is a real.... johnson. Just saying....
You don’t need to run thousands of centrifuges in hardened bunkers hidden in the desert for a “civilian nuclear power” program. In fact, if you are an oil-rich petrostate, you don’t waste money on a “civilian nuclear power” program in the first place.
The only thing fair about Fair.com is that is a progressive and leftist web site passing itself off as a legit medai watchdog. .
On December 2, 2015, the IAEA issued its final report on Iran’s alleged weaponization efforts, concluding that Iran had a coordinated nuclear weapon-related program until 2003, and that some weapon-related activities continued through 2009. The IAEA report disclosed that Iran did not provide new information or meaningful information for most of the 12 outstanding issues in the IAEA’s investigation. To many of the Agency’s questions, Iran offered no new information, or made denials without explanation, or gave explanations contradicted by other information available to the Agency. Nonetheless, the IAEA Board of Governors voted unanimously to close the Agency’s investigation on December 15, 2015.
When U235 enrichment goes beyond a certain percentage, it is prudent to be suspicious whether a weapons program is in place.
(yes, those 16 US intelligence agencies), which found Iran had “halted” its nuclear weapons program.
Didn’t they also say Russia Hacked our election and Colluded with Trump, and as it turns out it was Hillary and the Democrats Colluding with Russia, and there was NO HACK, it was an inside LEAK!.
As all thinking people know, Iran has an ongoing nuclear weapons program. Once they get that capability, they will use it. Ironically, the ones who claim their program does not exist are also most likely to live in Iran’s target cities (other than Israel; these deniers hate Jews and would never go to the Jewish state that they despise).
Neither did North Korea.They gave their solemn word.
Since when does the media keep saying it? What a crock of ****. And yes, Iran does have a nuclear weapons program.
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