Top officials fear administration reached secret deal with Iran

WorldTribune ^ | February 1, 2008

[BradtotheBone]

Leading and former U.S. officials have expressed concerns that President Bush has quietly come to an agreement with Iran for the U.S. military to withdraw from Iraq. In a series of meetings between U.S. officials and Iranian and pro-Tehran Iraqi representatives in late 2007, sources close to the administration say that Bush relayed assurances to the Iranian leadership that the United States had no intentions to attack the Islamic regime or stop Tehran's civilian nuclear program.

"It's close to zero percent chance that the Bush administration will authorize military action against Iran before leaving office," said former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, last week.

The sources said the release of the National Intelligence Estimate in December, which they claim was decided by Bush, was deemed as the biggest signal to Iran of U.S. intentions. The NIE said that Tehran has halted its nuclear weapons program--at least for the time being. For his part, sources say that Bush won Iran's commitment to prevent Shiite violence in what would enable the U.S.-led coalition to focus on al Qaeda and the Sunni insurgency and lead to a troop withdrawal by 2009.

[what's up]

been bankrupted by an Iraq charade

Don't be ridiculous.

[Alberta's Child]

All financial transactions for military, government, and infrastructure work in Iraq are being done in U.S. dollars these days.

Just think about this . . . From a financial standpoint, the U.S. has basically absorbed a 51st state with California's population, Detroit's business climate, and all the ethnic/social/cultural disorder of Haiti or Rwanda.

This is exactly why the U.S. government is printing money faster than it can track it, and why the U.S. dollar is in the sh!tter right now. You can call it Democratic propaganda if you'd like, but foreign investors don't buy or sell based on propaganda . . . they do it based on sound financial practices.

[SueRae]

I don’t beleive it for a minute.

[Sacajaweau]

Headline is a little misleading...like a lot misleading..

[jrooney]

Canuck, our soldiers are fighting in Iraq for a great cause, not Canadians. It is American dollars being spent in Iraq, not yours, so do not worry your pony silky little liberal head about what we are doing. Worry about your own country.

[rockinqsranch]

Ah So! My bad.

[steel_resolve]

This is the stupidest, most ridiculous piece of claptrap garbage ever. I’m not even going to bother stating why. It is beneath me.

[txhurl]

It’s Alberta as in GA.

[Georgia]

I agree with the war and it’s purpose. However we must not blind ouselves to the cost on our country. Quite frankly we should be getting paid back with cheap Iraqi oil. Why should we have to foot this massive bill for saving the Iraqi people and the rets of the world from terrorism?

[Esther Ruth]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Oil_Bourse

[TexanToTheCore]

Mot likly things quieted down when we shot the head of the Iranian nuclear project. The action was probably reinforced later with a diploatic note that cooled things down.

“Yes, Mr.President, we can get our shooters in and out of your country without your knowledge. Daily if we have to.
Have a good day, W.”

[pabianice]

Flash! Bush working with Iran to destroy Iraq! More news as it is beamed down from the mothership!

[omega4179]

Its like if we do what they want (pull out) we promise to do what they want in return (not bomb their illegal plants). What do we get out of this?

[mewzilla]

....sources close to the administration

I notice that the author doesn't specify which administration....

[Tigen]

Hussein Obama nor Clinton are in office yet.
That said I do see troops being move and rearranged to keep them from being a target now that war is inevitable!!

[RightWhale]

Saddam was royally p*$$*d when arms were sold to Iran to free the USA prisoners on Pres Reagan’s first day in office. Not surprising since Iran and Iraq were shelling and gassing the cr*p out of each other at the time.

[Alberta's Child]

If I were a Canadian you might have a point.

;-)

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

Politics is letting your opponents get into deep dodo.

[Wallaby]

I agree that this is very hard to believe. Nonetheless, I've been doing a little digging and found that Yossef Bodansky has a long piece in Defense and Foreign Affairs last month in which he defends the idea that the NIE signalled a secret deal between the Bush administration and Iran. A summary of the Bodansky piece, along with many links to sources available on the web, can be found here:

• Did the NIE signal a secret deal with Iran?

[SunkenCiv]

Garbage from a month ago, but here are some better ones:

A Reworked NIE?
Captain’s Quarters | Feb. 05, 2008 | Ed Morrissey
Posted on 02/05/2008 12:33:17 PM EST by jdm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1965362/posts

Taking Down the NIE (”The NIE lied. Europe’s peacemakers cried.”)
National Review Online | February 07, 2008 | Stanley Kurtz
Posted on 02/07/2008 2:21:14 PM EST by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1966577/posts

Iran has capacity to produce nuclear arms: US intelligence
afp | 2/8/2008 | afp
Posted on 02/13/2008 6:58:05 PM EST by Flavius
Edited on 02/14/2008 9:33:33 AM EST by Admin Moderator. [history]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1969955/posts

Unintelligence on Iranian Nukes (CIA/Intel making policy) (Very Good read)
Weekly Standard | 02/25/2008 | Michael Rubin
Posted on 02/16/2008 10:36:59 AM EST by nuconvert
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1971414/posts

IAEA: Iran not complying with nuclear program inspection
haaretz | 19:00 22/02/2008
Posted on 02/22/2008 12:16:44 PM EST by maquiladora
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1974579/posts

from 2007:

NIE Makes War Against Iran More Likely
FrontPageMagazine.com | December 11, 2007 | Daniel Pipes
Posted on 12/11/2007 8:39:37 AM EST by SJackson
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1937826/posts