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Iran's Military Nuclear Program Lasted Longer Than We Thought (thebulletin.org)
Lasrick writes: Two articles in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists analyze the IAEA's December 2nd report (PDF) on the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program. Ariane Tabatabai goes into what the report did (and did not) reveal: "According to U.S. intelligence, Iran ceased its nuclear-weapon-related activities in 2003 and did not subsequently make a political decision to resume them. The IAEA report unsurprisingly indicates that Tehran did have a “coordinated” nuclear weapon development program until 2003. Iran further engaged in some activities after 2003 but these were not coordinated, according to the report." Harvard's Martin Malin summarizes key takeaways from the process: "[T]he report points out that, unfortunately, Iran has taken steps that make it more difficult for the country to put the past behind it."
The Persian people? Absolutely. The militant theocracy actively supporting terrorism in at least 5 sovereign nations? Hell no.
People are still dumb enough to believe Iran doesn't have a nuclear weapons program?
They had a functioning democracy. They were even on their way to decent women's rights and progressivism. However, Anglo-Persian Oil Company (British Petroleum) didn't like how they wanted to nationalize their oil fields. So the US staged a coupé, and installed a dictator. There was another revolution later ... and you get the idea.
> The militant theocracy actively supporting terrorism in at least 5 sovereign nations? Hell no.
Wait wait. Um...America is a semi-theocracy (in the sense conservatives have used religion to bolster pro-war agendas) and is the largest state sponsor of terror in the world! The US has the largest air force, squadrons of remote killing machines (predator drones) and ten active air craft carriers (the nations with the 2nd largest fleets of aircraft carriers all have 2 or less).
You know why Iran wants nuclear weapons? They're not weapons. No one can actually use them today (Mutually Assured Destruction; if two or more nuclear nations launched weapons, the devastation would be beyond measure). It's the same reason Pakistan has them. It's about power.
They're scared, and rightfully so. The US, UK et al has been meddling in their nation for decades. None of these countries want war. All they want is to defend themselves from the US, Russia, the EU and anyone else that wants to take from them again.
America is a semi-theocracy
That has legalized abortion, pornography of many ilks, gay marriage, constitutionalized freedom of religion including no religion and regionalized polygamy and prostitution? Yeah. Keep talking about this theocracy you talk about. I'm not a religious person myself but this is bullshit. People like you won't be happy until you can jail a man for so much as saying god bless you at a sneeze. As for the conservatives using religion to bolster war? Cite. Fucking cite it from a conservative with actual power in this arena or shut your fucking filthy sewer.
Aw...those fluffy little Iranians wouldn't hurt anyone, they only want to protect themselves...from the women and children in Syria that Assad is busy killing with the Iranian lapdogs, Hezbollah, or the useful idiots from Iraq they've convinced to fight in Syria, or their own poor suckers they've sent there? Them are some ferocious women and children they're killing. Or those naughty Jews in Israel who never gave a flying rat's ass about Iran until Iran decided to care about Israel? Or is it the Big Bad Sunnis in Iraq they can use as a foil to re-kindle their centuries long theocratic war?
And how do you know the Iranians don't think they can use nukes? There's no deterrent unless you actually have plans to use the damn things.