"[T]he Bush administration knows full well that there is no nuclear weapons program in Iran."

[nowhereman 1]

The Bush administration is just like the boy who cried wolf... they started a war in Iraq based on a bunch of trumped up intel. They have lost credibility & couldn't muster support for a war with Iran if they wanted to. Iran should be watched by competent people WITHOUT AN AGENDA but that definitely isn't the Bush administration.

As for the remark about Powell (I don't recall who made it) I doubt you have served a day in the military. He was being a good soldier when he made that presentation about WMD's in Iraq. Does he regret it? I have absolutely no doubt that he does... Bush used Powell's credibility to sell what he knew was a bunch of BS. Powell is a respectable man and a veteran who was put in a nearly impossible situation. You should look down on Bush and his cronies for this, not Powell.

Hence Powell got himself away from that debacle.

No longer being a military man, orders were something he could replace with doing the right thing.

A lot of people were either duped or willingly participated in what was essentially group think. Not a proud moment for Powell, but I still think he's an honorable man.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I'm not certain that Scott Ritter is completely up to date on this subject

UN nuclear agency criticises Iran

The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has not resolved questions about a possible military dimension to Iran's nuclear programme.

In its latest report, the UN nuclear watchdog said it had failed to make meaningful progress in assessing Iran's past nuclear activities.

Iran was also continuing to enrich uranium in defiance of a UN Security Council resolution, it said.

The US said Iran could face further sanctions unless it changed course.

Iran says its nuclear programme is aimed solely at civilian atomic energy, but Western nations accuse Iran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon.

'No credible assurances' In its report, the IAEA said that Iran was failing to co-operate with its investigators.

Regrettably the agency has not been able to make any substantial progress on the alleged studies

IAEA report

In May, the UN watchdog said Tehran was withholding information about projects to develop a nuclear warhead, convert uranium and test high explosives.

It called for access to key sites, documents and officials so that investigators could assess Iran's position that its nuclear work was for peaceful purposes.

But, said the IAEA, no such access had been granted.

"Regrettably the agency has not been able to make any substantial progress on the alleged studies and other associated key remaining issues which remain of serious concern," the report said.

Without greater transparency from Iran, the IAEA would "not be able to provide credible assurances about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran", it added.

Iran says documentation on its alleged projects has been fabricated.

The IAEA also said that Iran was continuing to install new cascades of centrifuges to enrich uranium in defiance of a UN Security Council order.

Around 3,800 centrifuges were now in operation at Iran's enrichment plant in Natanz, an increase of 300 since May, the report said.

Responding to the report, the US said Iran could face more punitive measures.

"The Iranian regime's continued defiance only further isolates the Iranian people," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

Iran should suspend uranium enrichment or "face further implementation of the existing United Nations Security Council sanctions and the possibility of new sanctions", Reuters news agency quoted him as saying. The report will be discussed by the IAEA's board of governors next week.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/midd...ast/7616744.stm

Published: 2008/09/15 14:24:53 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

No, Ritter obviously missed the AQ Khan scandal (where that Pakistani tout scientist sold nuke tech to various other countries--including Iran, whose centrifuges are cent-percent KRL design)--so he's not been up to date since 2003 (AQ Khan scandal broke in 2004).

Scott Ritter has become a partisan attention #######. I give him no more consideration than any other pundit. Most of the other western countries believe it and even the UN believes it. Who cares what this idiot thinks.

The UN's beliefs are about as valid as those of the proverbial ostrich.