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Some clarifications: The story errs regarding weapons grade % of enrichment.

U-235 needs to be at least 90% to reach a critical mass explosion, however, 20% and beyond is considered weapons grade as there is no peaceful purpose.

Iran first achieved 20% in trace amounts two years ago and has been accumulating only 20% since and has done legally and is inspected and in compliance.

They can use the 20% for fuel rods, medical radiation, and in their research reactor (that we built for them).

Problem: If the Iranians can secretly divert some 20% into a secret enrichment facility, they could enrich to 90% quite easily and quickly.

Response: U-235 always decays into lead. As it does so it gives off a few, very powerful gamma rays that pass through our planet. We have some extremely sensitive detectors around our planet that detect gamma rays. By careful calculation we can eventually see the source of those rays and haven't seen any from Iran that indicate over 20% enrichment.

Iranian leaders know that once they produce 90% and have a bomb program, they could lose control of that program to hotheads in the Revolutionary Guards and poof, the Middle East and Iran go up in smoke.

That is the dichotomy in Iran. Ayatollahs - be careful what you wish for, Dajjal is waiting.

1 posted on 02/24/2012 7:35:19 AM PST by gandalftb
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To: gandalftb
Senior U.S. officials say Israel does not dispute the basic intelligence or analysis.

Why would Israeli intelligence want to confide in Barry's intelligence services? Nothing good could come of it.


2 posted on 02/24/2012 7:42:45 AM PST by FourPeas ("Maladjusted and wigging out is no way to go through life, son." -hg)
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To: gandalftb

It does not make any difference what the US thinks.

Israel knows that her very existence is at stake. She absolutely cannot and will not allow Iran to become a nuclear power.

The Israelis will destroy Iranian nuclear capabilities. In particular, the Bushehr (west-central Iran) reactor will be destroyed.


3 posted on 02/24/2012 7:46:32 AM PST by TruthInThoughtWordAndDeed (Yahuah Yahusha)
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To: gandalftb

It is quite possible this is another Iraq situation where they are all bluster in order to stave off some perceived threat from their enemies.


4 posted on 02/24/2012 7:49:46 AM PST by Peter from Rutland
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To: gandalftb

OK, Have all of the intelligence officials who believe there is no threat to a nuclear weapon from Iran sign the document. Have them agree to be executed by firing squad if they are wrong. Simple enough. Problem solved. Let’s see how many still so believe.


6 posted on 02/24/2012 7:52:51 AM PST by Portcall24
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To: doug from upland; Nachum; Cindy; G8 Diplomat; AdmSmith; Dog; nuconvert; Straight Vermonter; ...

Iranians can be extremely clever at cheating. I can attest to that, having played a lot of poker with them, LOL.

What they do is to make sure that every potentially controversial move has a dual use so that they can deny they have wicked intentions.

For example, they enrich to 20%, but as they say, only for permissible legal purposes, medical research... Even though we know there is no point having so much 20% around, especially when we offered to give them all the 20% they need for free, for research. Dual use.

Why is Iran building rockets that can fly thousands of miles? They say the rockets are for satellites. Same rocket can carry a nuke. It only matters where you point them. Dual use.

Why so much testing and research at Parchin with very high velocity explosives (that we can hear detonating and could be used to light off an atomic bomb)? They say, gee it’s hot here in Iran and we are tunneling and plan to use those explosives to cut through rock. Dual use.

Throwing a net over Iranians is very hard to do. They know that we would have a hard time justifying war, having been embarrassed by the lack of Saddam’s WMDs.

The worlds most lethal shell game.


7 posted on 02/24/2012 7:54:37 AM PST by gandalftb (11th MEU, 2/4 Echo, TRAP Force)
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To: gandalftb

OBAMA says this, not the intel community. they KNOW Iran is building a bomb.

Obama will never say anything negative about Muslims as he isone.


9 posted on 02/24/2012 7:58:50 AM PST by CodeToad (NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!!)
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To: gandalftb; onyx; TitansAFC; b9; Gator113; Marcella; katiedidit1; annieokie; ...

“Senior U.S. officials say Israel does not dispute the basic intelligence or analysis.”

What a horrible liberal spin.
Israel is convinced of the contrary.
You know, Israel possesses its own sources of information and satellite over Iran. They don’t have to rely on Obama administration data.

Earlier this month, Israel’s military intelligence chief, Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi, said that intelligence suggests Iran already has enough nuclear material to build four atomic bombs. Kochavi told the annual Herzliya Conference that if Iran decided today to build a nuclear bomb, it could do so in less than one year.

Many in Israel believe there will ultimately be no choice but to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities - just as Israel did to Iraq in 1981 and to Syria in 2007 - but know that such a move will carry a heavy price tag.

In a document published by Iran’s Alef news agency, the chief strategist of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Alireza Forghani, argued that “in the name of Allah, Iran must attack Israel by 2014. All our troubles are due to Israel!”

AND IT IS PRECISELY AT THIS CRUCIAL MOMENT that the US, Britain and other European powers are showing themselves most apathetic and incapable of facing down the Iranian threat.


11 posted on 02/24/2012 7:59:41 AM PST by Marguerite (When I'm good, I am very, very good. But! When I'm bad, I'm even better)
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To: gandalftb

..........and when a religious fanatic says he has a moral obligation to bring abut the end of the world and to wipe our ally off the map, he’s probably lying. Nothing to see here. Move along.


14 posted on 02/24/2012 8:07:52 AM PST by morphing libertarian
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To: gandalftb

these estimates come from the same agency analysts who assured Presidents Clinton and Bush43 that Iraq WAS trying to build a bomb

meh


15 posted on 02/24/2012 8:08:33 AM PST by silverleaf (Funny how all the people who are for abortion are already born)
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To: gandalftb

and what percentage enrichment is necessary for a “dirty bomb”?

(Hint, 20% is plenty....)

Obama is manipulating the NIE to justify his inaction.

The statement “The U.S. does not believe...” is pure poicy propaganda.

It derives from a prosecutorial mindset “you can not prove...”, misapplied to achieve Obama’s objective.


19 posted on 02/24/2012 8:14:02 AM PST by G Larry (We are NOT obliged to carry the snake in our pocket and then dismiss the bites as natural behavior.)
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To: gandalftb

The US government and our non-intelligent services are engaged in magical thinking if they say Iran is not working on an A-bomb or H-bomb. With the bomb, Iran’s radical Muslim leaders know they are invulnerable and can make trouble everywhere. They don’t fear China or Russia and know the USA is too wimpy to head them off.


20 posted on 02/24/2012 8:15:25 AM PST by RicocheT (Eat the rich only if you're certain it's your last meal)
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To: gandalftb

Well, they got a 50-50 chance of being correct...


25 posted on 02/24/2012 8:24:48 AM PST by stuartcr ("In this election year of 12, how deep into their closets will we delve?")
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To: gandalftb

“A highly classified U.S. intelligence assessment circulated to policymakers early last year largely affirms that view”

Things have changed since early last year.
Not sure if I can continue to read this.


29 posted on 02/24/2012 8:37:51 AM PST by nuconvert ( Khomeini promised change too // Hail, Chairman O)
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To: gandalftb
U.S. does not believe Iran is trying to build nuclear bomb

Sure they (we) do.

That is why the muslim sympathizers in the administration want to call off any Israel attacks.

That way the the Iranian muzzies will have the time they need to assemble a working nuclear weapon.


30 posted on 02/24/2012 8:43:07 AM PST by Iron Munro ("Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight he'll just kill you." John Steinbeck)
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To: gandalftb

US doesn’t think Iran is making a bomb?

Are these the same geniuses who thought the Stimulus would keep unemployment down?


31 posted on 02/24/2012 8:48:00 AM PST by Tzimisce (Never forget that the American Revolution began when the British tried to disarm the colonists.)
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To: gandalftb

One very good analysis piece that I read suggests that Iran is “going slow” on the development of an A-bomb until they develop a long-range ballistic missile to deliver it. That makes sense. If you build a bomb that can’t actually reach your chief adversary (the US) then all you’re going to do is get maneuvered into a corner like Saddam did. And the US eventually gets a coalition together along with a sufficient UN declaration to take you out. The ayatolla’s have seen that movie before. In fact it played at a theater in their neighborhood.


33 posted on 02/24/2012 8:53:20 AM PST by Tallguy (It's all 'Fun and Games' until somebody loses an eye!)
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To: gandalftb

The long-term effects of the Liberal campaign to undermine George W.

Since no WMD was found in Iraq, any talk of a hostile power working on them is now “a neocon fantasy intended to manufacture an illegal war!”

Shouldn’t have let them shove ya around for seven years there, Georgie!


36 posted on 02/24/2012 9:03:20 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: gandalftb
I am sorry but I REMEMBER the track record of our so-called intelligence community
39 posted on 02/24/2012 9:23:10 AM PST by LibLieSlayer (Hey repubic elite scumbags... jam mitt up your collective arses!)
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To: gandalftb

Why would Iran bury their facilities hundreds of feet underground if they were just refining to 20%?

They are working on a bomb. Delivery could be as simple as a container ship.
Or give it to a terrorist group kookier than themselves. (if that’s possible)

As far as their concern about retaliation, it’s their ride to heaven. They are looking forward to it.


41 posted on 02/24/2012 10:40:23 AM PST by Vinnie
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To: All

A Look at Iran
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html


50 posted on 02/24/2012 4:11:42 PM PST by Cindy
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