If you don't "get" Monty Python, then just disregard this first section. But for those of you who do, imagine if you will…

Pelosi:
“We are the Knights who say ‘NIE!’ (quickly echoed by the lesser Knights of NIE). We are the keepers of the secret words ‘Democrat,’ ‘majority,’ and ‘budget.’ (the latter again echoed by the lesser Knights of NIE). We demand a sacrifice!”

Bush:
“Knights of NIE, we are but simple public servants who wish to keep America safe from the mad man who lives beyond the sea…”

Pelosi:
“NIE!”

Lesser Knights of NIE:
“NIE! NIE! NIE! NIE! NIE!”

Pelosi:
“We shall say ‘NIE’ again to you if you do not appease us.”

Bush:
“Well, what is it you want?”

Pelosi:
“We want…(dramatic pause) A TROOP WITHDRAWL!”

The recently released National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran (http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf) has been enthusiastically touted by both Ahmadinejad and the Democrats as incontrovertible evidence that President Bush has “lied” once again and was trying to rush us into “another” unnecessary war. Both the President of Iran and the majority party of Congress view it as a great victory.

Talk about not being able to see the forest for the trees…or the shrubberies as the case may be...

Let’s look at what we DO know about Iran. From Presidential candidate Fred Thompson(1):

“As recently as two weeks ago, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran is not fully cooperating with the agency. IAEA Inspectors continue to have limited access to Iranian nuclear sites and their knowledge of Iran’s nuclear activities is ‘diminishing.’ Iran has rejected the further transparency measures the IAEA has requested. Tehran has also refused to bring into force the Additional Protocol—an agreement that would give IAEA greater access to Iranian facilities to determine whether illicit activities are occurring. If all secret work has ended and Iran’s enrichment program is really for peaceful purposes, why this continued secrecy? What is Iran hiding?

Let us be clear about who we are dealing with. Iran has long-wanted to be the powerbroker in the Persian Gulf. Other states in the region know this and fear this. Iranian President Ahmadinejad and the Mullahs who run Iran have pledged to ‘wipe Israel off the map.’ We also cannot forget that Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world, and that their support for Hezbollah, Hamas, and other terrorist groups, is all about achieving these ends. Iran has been modernizing its military for years, acquiring ballistic missile technology from around the world, and pursuing its nuclear program to facilitate its growing dominance and power. Would a country that is one of the world’s largest producers of oil and natural gas really spend billions of dollars just to acquire civilian nuclear power plants for electricity generation?”

Add to that the fact that Ahmadinejad sees himself as integral to bringing about the return of the hidden Imam and the end of the world (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48225) and you see how absurd it is to think that Iran would NOT be trying to get their hands on nuclear weapons.

Now, let’s take a look at the reliability of our intelligence community concerning such things. From The Omega Letter(2):

“On May 11, 1998, the world was taken completely by surprise when the government of India conducted three successful nuclear weapons tests. The CIA didn't even know that India was working on a nuclear weapon until somebody at Langley said; ‘What was that noise?’

Three weeks later, Pakistan detonated five nuclear devices, once again blindsiding America's intelligence agencies. Then-president Clinton was forced to admit the tests 'caught him off-guard' and ordered CIA Director George Tenet to ‘thoroughly review’ the performance of U.S. intelligence.

The Congress was furious. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms summed up the mood saying for the record; ‘I am astonished that the Indian government was able to catch the U.S. intelligence capability so sound asleep at the switch.’

Five years later, the United States, citing a high probability report from the National Intelligence Estimate that Saddam Hussein was seeking nuclear weapons, invaded Iraq.

Fearing his country would be next, Libyan leader Moammar Khaddafi notified the CIA that Libya also had an advanced nuclear program and asked for assistance in dismantling it.

Until Libya notified the CIA, the US had no idea that Libya was even seeking nuclear weapons.

In 2006, North Korea took the CIA by surprise when it conducted a low-yield nuclear test detonation.”

“Consider that on July 11, 2007, roughly four or so months prior to the most recent NIE’s publication, Deputy Director of Analysis Thomas Fingar gave the following testimony before the House Armed Services Committee:

‘Iran and North Korea are the states of most concern to us. The United States’ concerns about Iran are shared by many nations, including many of Iran’s neighbors. Iran is continuing to pursue uranium enrichment and has shown more interest in protracting negotiations and working to delay and diminish the impact of UNSC sanctions than in reaching an acceptable diplomatic solution. We assess that Tehran is determined to develop nuclear weapons--despite its international obligations and international pressure. This is a grave concern to the other countries in the region whose security would be threatened should Iran acquire nuclear weapons.’

This paragraph appeared under the subheading: ‘Iran Assessed As Determined to Develop Nuclear Weapons.’ And the entirety of Fingar’s 22-page testimony was labeled 'Information as of July 11, 2007.' No part of it is consistent with the latest NIE, in which our spooks tell us Iran suspended its covert nuclear weapons program in 2003 ‘primarily in response to international pressure’ and they ‘do not know whether (Iran) currently intends to develop nuclear weapons.’

The inconsistencies are more troubling when we realize that, according to the Wall Street Journal, Thomas Fingar is one of the three officials who were responsible for crafting the latest NIE. The Journal cites ‘an intelligence source’ as describing Fingar and his two colleagues as ‘hyper-partisan anti-Bush officials.’ (The New York Sun drew attention to one of Fingar’s colleagues yesterday.)

So, if it is true that Dr. Fingar played a leading role in crafting this latest NIE, then we are left with serious questions:

• Why did your opinion change so drastically in just four months time?
• Is the new intelligence or analysis really that good? Is it good enough to overturn your previous assessments? Or, has it never really been good enough to make a definitive assessment at all?
• Did your political or ideological leanings, or your policy preferences, or those of your colleagues, influence your opinion in any way?”

Which is more likely? That the world’s largest supporter of terrorism and the 2nd largest producer of oil is seeking to enrich uranium for purely peaceful nuclear energy? Or that the Democratic-majority Congress (who now leads the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence) who controls the budgets and determines who keeps their jobs for the entire intelligence community has decided to exert its influence to get them to produce an “estimate” which advances their political agenda? It’s a rhetorical question…

The only clue that we were wrong may just be (as in the case of India and Pakistan) a bloom on our satellite surveillance board. And once again, we have intentionally or not sided with the enemies of Israel. Wasn’t the arm-twisting at Annapolis enough (where Israel is held to every jot and tittle of every agreement but all we ask of the Palestinians and the Muslim world is just to show up and do nothing)? Now we have essentially told Israel that we and the rest of the world intend to do nothing while Iran (who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map) goes ahead full steam in its efforts to do just that. Have we forgotten what God has said about those who align themselves against Israel?

Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.

2 Thessalonians 2:11,12 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

While we sit here with egg on our face in front of the world, I’m sure Ahmadinejad and his cronies are having a good laugh at just how incredibly gullible we all are. I hope the NIE is correct and that Iran has given up pursuing nuclear weapons. Yeah…and maybe I’m a Chinese jet pilot…

1.http://fredfile.fred08.com/blog/2007/iran-nuclear-weapons-and-the-nie
2.http://www.omegaletter.com/briefs/briefings.asp?BID=2055
3.http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2007/12/nie_an_abrupt_aboutface.asp