Headlines for 12-04-07

Europeans relieved at US report on Iran ** The report may relieve European fears about a possible U.S. move toward war in Iran. Sarkozy has evoked the risk of "a catastrophic alternative: an Iranian bomb, or the bombing of Iran" if diplomacy and sanctions fail.


Iran FM welcomes US intelligence nuclear report Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Tuesday welcomed a new US intelligence report on its nuclear programme, saying it proved the peaceful nature of the atomic drive.


US report will help 'defuse' Iran nuclear crisis: IAEA chief


China hints new US intelligence makes sanctions on Iran less likely China's UN ambassador on Tuesday suggested an agreement by six world powers to seek new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program could be called into question by the latest US intelligence assessment.


Bush says Iran a 'danger' despite intelligence report President George W. Bush said Tuesday that Iran remains a danger and refused to rule out a military attack, despite a US intelligence report saying Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003. Mmm k.


Analysis: US loses leverage over Iran ** The biggest stick - a U.S. military strike on Iran in the near term - is now out of the question. Again, this time around, the intel community refused to be badgered into giving in to Cheney and the neocons (I hold the folks in the intel community in the highest possible regard for sticking to their guns). Thus they cannot be blamed for lost US credibility and leverage. The blame rests at the feet of those who are pushing for the war on Iran.


A Miracle: Honest Intel on Iran Nukes This time Cheney and his neocon colleagues were unable to abort the process.


Putin urges Iran to be transparent on atomic work


Like Iraq, US intel on Iran faulty Cheney and his gaggle of neocons worked hard on the intel community in the runup to the Iraq war to deliver the goods to make the case thereof. This is demonstrated in Frontline's special of a year or two back entitled 'The Dark Side', available to watch in entirety online. This time around, the intel community hit back. They cannot be blamed in this. The blame for faulty intel rests squarely on those that brought us the Iraq war: Cheney and the neocons.


Candidates Hold to Their Stances on Iran The campaigns of the leading Democratic candidates seized Monday on an intelligence report showing that Iran had halted its development of nuclear weapons, saying the findings justified their more cautious approach to Tehran.


Israel vows to resist Iran nuclear drive despite US report Israel on Tuesday charged that Iran was still seeking nuclear weapons despite a US report claiming the contrary, and vowed to continue its diplomatic campaign against its arch-foe. ......"It is necessary to continue our efforts with our American friends to prevent Iran from obtaining non-conventional weapons," Olmert said on army radio......"This report is a painful blow to Israeli policy, which has been to try to persuade the world that the Iranian problem needs to be solved urgently before Iran reaches the point of no return," warned the mass-selling Yediot Aharonot.


The Anti-Iran Annapolis Conference by Philip Giraldi ** The conference is only comprehensible in terms of the other agendas that drove it. Behind the scenes, the United States and Israel were less interested in making peace with the Palestinians than they were in building up a de facto coalition of Arab states against Iran, which is why there was intense diplomatic pressure to obtain the participation of every Arab country.


Ron Paul Vindicated on Iran Ron Paul is the only non-Armageddon presidential candidate among the Republicans. He is the only person who staunchly opposes a massive first strike against Iran because of its alleged nuclear program. He has long been ridiculed for his aversion to preemptive genocide in the Middle East.


Opposition to U.S. Missile Shield Grows in Poland


Commentary - Melanie Scarborough: Somebody is lying about FISA


Olmert: Nuke report on Iran shows need for tighter Iran sanctions ** "We discussed this report with leaders of the [U.S.] administration," Olmert told reporters. "It is vital to pursue efforts to prevent Iran from developing a capability like this and we will continue doing so along with our friends the United States.".....The report contradicts earlier U.S. intelligence reports, Israeli assessments, and the conclusions of senior officials in the Bush administration. .......The difference in the American and Israeli assessments is derived not from different information but rather different approaches


Support Iranian dissidents, says US analyst The West should seek regime change in Iran by lending support to the growing dissident movement within the country, said Dr Michael Ledeen......"They have been waiting ... to hear from an American president that the US wants an end to this regime... No president has done anything," he said, adding that sanctions, which have been in place since the 1979 Iranian revolution, have been ineffective."

Ledeen=neocon.


Israeli officials reject U.S. findings on Iran ** Israeli officials, who've been warning that Iran would soon pose a nuclear threat to the world, reacted angrily Tuesday to a new U.S. intelligence finding that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons development program in 2003 and to date hasn't resumed trying to produce nuclear weapons.......An analysis in the competing Haaretz newspaper suggested that Israel might come to be viewed as a "panic-stricken rabbit" and said that the U.S. intelligence estimate established "a new, dramatic reality: The military option, American or Israeli, is off the table, indefinitely." Ooops. Looks like Israel's 'intel' didn't fly this time around (paragraph 27 in particular).


Mistrial In Case of Air Base Ex-Guard At Andrews, Chamble said, Jackson asked supervisors to give him time off on Fridays for prayer services. According to Chamble, after Jackson said that Palestinians have a right to defend themselves, an Andrews supervisor gave him this advice: "On this base, you need to chill on that kind of stuff."


Palestinians brave desolation at bombed-out Lebanon camp Aisha Abdul Rahim's home has no doors or windows but she would still rather suffer the cold at her own home in a bombed-out Palestinian camp in north Lebanon than stay in a shelter......The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, Karen Abu Zayd, said she had "witnessed nothing like this" in decades of services, after a November 13 tour of the camp.


Lebanon: Refugees Coerced to Return to Iraq