There still is no Iranian nuclear threat!

As of 2007, a U.S. intelligence estimate was released which stated that Iran had abandoned its nuclear weapons program in 2003. This intelligence estimate was reaffirmed in 2010 and 2012.1 2 There has been no new evidence to suggest any change from Iran’s policy. So the question must be asked, why in 2013 are the U.S. media and government still incessantly talking about Iran’s nuclear weapons program? Thomas Friedman, for example, opens up his November 12th editorial by writing, “It goes without saying that the only near-term deal with Iran worth partially lifting sanctions for would be a deal that freezes all the key components of Iran’s nuclear weapons development program.”3 Friedman’s own newspaper reported that there was no Iranian nuclear weapons development program in a front-page story in 2012, so I guess either Friedman is a shameless tool of our country’s elite, or he does not read the newspaper he writes for. In addition to Friedman’s editorial, there were similar ideas expressed in segments on ABC and CBS among other stations, and even debates in the media on whether or not to apply even harsher sanctions!4

The ideological purpose of this insanity is obvious. There is a gigantic military budget that since the end of the Cold War has required constant justification from an unimpressed public. Throughout the Cold War, Americans were repeatedly told that the inflated military budget was required in large part to prevent a Russian invasion of Western Europe. This was in spite of the fact that according to intelligence analysts, such as former ambassador to the Soviet Union George Kennan, “this fear had no basis in reality.”5 Now, Iran is the new enemy, the new Eurasia. Not only do they provide an excuse to keep the military budget high, but also the new Eurasia allows the U.S. freedom for other aggressive foreign policy moves such as the construction of “anti missile” bases across Eastern Europe. The supposed purpose of these “anti missile” bases is to prevent an Iranian nuclear attack. A nuclear attack, made of course with its non-existent nuclear weapons, which according to U.S. government intelligence it is not building. The Russians have complained, correctly that the purpose of these bases is to threaten Russia. The anti missile base in Romania being constructed costs $134 million while the state of Massachusetts was forced to make $94 million in cuts to its food stamp program.6 7

• 1Risen, James, and Mark Mazzetti. "U.S. Agencies See No Move by Iran to Build a Bomb." The New York Times 24 Feb. 2012: A1. nytimes.com. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
• 2 Dilanian, Ken. "U.S. does not believe Iran is trying to build nuclear bomb." The LA Times [Los Angeles] 23 Feb. 2012: latimes.com. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
• 3Friedman, Thomas . "What About US." The New York Times 12 Nov. 2013: A31. nytimes.com. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
• 4Hart, Peter. "Iran's Suspicious Smile." FAIR Blog. N.p., 14 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. .
• 5Zinn, Howard. "Carter-Reagan-Bush: The Bipartisan Consensus." A People's History of the United States. 1980. Reprint. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. 583. Print.
• 6Vandiver, John. "US, NATO move ahead with Romanian anti-missile base." Stars and Stripes [Washington DC] 28 Oct. 2013: stripes.com. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
• 7Gugel, Mattias. "Cut in food stamps brings wide worry ." The Boston Globe 18 Nov. 2013: bostonglobe.com. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.