Tells Shalom TV that the "false" and "dangerous" report may be an attempt of some in the US intelligence community to derail VP Cheney's rush to war against Iran December 17, 2007 (Fort Lee, NJ) - In an exclusive interview on Shalom TV, Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz criticizes the recent US intelligence assessment that Iran has suspended its nuclear weapons program since 2003, calling the report both "dangerous" and "false."
"This is a dumb report that would get a C-minus from anybody teaching any intelligence course anywhere in the country," says Professor Dershowitz. "[Iran is] clearly intending to develop a nuclear bomb, and anyone who doubts that should not be in a position of responsibility in the United States, in Israel, or in any Western country." Speaking from his Boston office, Professor Dershowitz asserts that it takes "an absolute moron not to understand what Iran is doing. For purposes of getting the sanctions removed from Russia and from China and from others, they're overtly eliminating the military superstructure, but they are developing their capacity so that they can transfer it to a military use almost instantaneously.
"All the intelligence assessment is saying, basically, is that the Iranian government has pulled a bait and switch."
When asked by Shalom TV's Rabbi Mark S. Golub about any agenda behind the report, Alan Dershowitz theorizes that people within the CIA and other US intelligence agencies are trying to put the brakes on what they perceive as Vice President Dick Cheney's rush to get into a war with Iran. However, he cautions that the report may have the opposite effect.
"The impact of the report is going to be to diminish the case for sanctions and to increase the need for military preparedness--unfortunately," notes Professor Dershowitz. "If the United States and Israel are true to their statements that they will not allow Iran to develop nuclear capacity and that they will use military force as a last resort if that happens, then this report is making military force more likely rather than less likely.
"I'm one who would much have preferred to see sanctions work against Iran because a military attack could be very counterproductive. But this report will essentially have blood on its hands if it actually increases the need for military force."
Shalom TV is the first Jewish public affairs and entertainment network available on American television, and is currently carried on Comcast and Blue Ridge cable systems. Additional information on the television service, including a current program lineup, is posted online at http://www.shalomtv.com/.
Transcript of Shalom TV interview with Alan Dershowitz
Shalom TV
At the beginning of this month, December 2007, American intelligence agencies suddenly revised its view of Iran's nuclear weapons program, suggesting that since 2003, that program has been frozen. For comment, I'm happy to introduce a gentleman who not only has spoken out on virtually every major American cause of note, but he has also become one of the staunchest vocal defenders of the state of Israel. In particular, he has been an advocate for action against Iranian President Ahmadinejad and the entire Iranian regime. It's my pleasure to welcome to our program Alan Dershowitz. Alan, thank you for joining us.
Dershowitz
Thank you so much for inviting me on to talk about this very dangerous report. I only wish it were true.
Shalom TV
That's my first question. Alan, what's your instinct here?
Dershowitz
It is totally false. It's not an instinct. It's based on not only clear knowledge, but just a careful reading of the intelligence assessment itself. All the intelligence assessment is saying, basically, is that the Iranian government has pulled a bait and switch. What they've said is "now we're going to devote all our attention to developing a nuclear capacity for civilian use. We're not going to devote any time to developing the military capacity because it's the same thing." The first 90 percent of activity that has to be put into developing military uses is also the same that's put into developing non-military uses.
So they are just saying "Call off the dogs. Stop the sanctions." Not right now [will we] develop the military capacity. But once we develop our ability to transfer the civilian to the military, we will do that in the future and we will be able to turn the civilian into the military within the period of a few months.
So they are just saying "Call off the dogs. Stop the sanctions." Not right now [will we] develop the military capacity. But once we develop our ability to transfer the civilian to the military, we will do that in the future and we will be able to turn the civilian into the military within the period of a few months.
Shalom TV
The report suggests that it would not be until 2015 that Iran could ever develop nuclear weapons.
Dershowitz
Well, between 2010 and 2015. But 2010 is only two years and one month away. So that's pretty short. Number two, that is the same estimate as they made back in their rejected report; so if you read between the lines they're basically saying nothing has changed except the intention.
And they base their assessment on on-the-ground intelligence. One thing we know about American intelligence on the ground in Iran is it's awful. We have no real good intelligence operatives on the ground. Most of the good American intelligence comes from the air, comes from satellites, and the idea that the United States could judge with any degree of certainty the intention of the Iranian mullahs is preposterous. And their intention is as clear as could be.
Why are they developing the Shihab missile? Why are they developing heavy water unnecessary for the development of civilian capacity? Why are all the civilian efforts being done in a way that it's easily transferable to military use?
It takes an absolute moron not to understand what Iran is doing! For purposes of getting the sanctions removed from Russia and from China and from others, they're overtly eliminating, right now, the military superstructure; but they are developing their capacity so that they can transfer it to a military use almost instantaneously.
It's what other nuclear powers did in the past as well, and nobody in the intelligence agency is being fooled. They know what's going on. There's an agenda that's hidden beneath this report."
And they base their assessment on on-the-ground intelligence. One thing we know about American intelligence on the ground in Iran is it's awful. We have no real good intelligence operatives on the ground. Most of the good American intelligence comes from the air, comes from satellites, and the idea that the United States could judge with any degree of certainty the intention of the Iranian mullahs is preposterous. And their intention is as clear as could be.
Why are they developing the Shihab missile? Why are they developing heavy water unnecessary for the development of civilian capacity? Why are all the civilian efforts being done in a way that it's easily transferable to military use?
It takes an absolute moron not to understand what Iran is doing! For purposes of getting the sanctions removed from Russia and from China and from others, they're overtly eliminating, right now, the military superstructure; but they are developing their capacity so that they can transfer it to a military use almost instantaneously.
It's what other nuclear powers did in the past as well, and nobody in the intelligence agency is being fooled. They know what's going on. There's an agenda that's hidden beneath this report."
Shalom TV
What is that agenda?
Dershowitz
It's unclear. A New York Times story today suggested it was the Bush administration's agenda saying, "we can't do anything about Iran, so we're going to diminish the threat it poses so we don't look bad." That doesn't sound plausible to me.
I think it's people within the CIA and other intelligence agencies who are trying to put the brakes on what they perceive as Vice President Cheney's rush to war with Iran. But it's going to make war more necessary not less necessary because it's going to cancel the sanctions and it's going to make sanctions harder to do.
And if the United States and Israel are true to their statements that they will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear capacity and that they will, in fact, use military force as a last resort if that happens, then this report is making military force more likely rather than less likely.
The people who run our intelligence agencies are very bright and they know what they're doing and this is a dumb report, I mean, really a dumb report. It's a report that would get a C-minus from anybody teaching any intelligence course anywhere in the country. The idea that you miss the notion that all they're doing is focusing on the civilian uses now to call off the dogs, but could easily switch to a military track almost in a moment. I mean, that's the most obvious thing in the world. How could they have missed that?
I think it's people within the CIA and other intelligence agencies who are trying to put the brakes on what they perceive as Vice President Cheney's rush to war with Iran. But it's going to make war more necessary not less necessary because it's going to cancel the sanctions and it's going to make sanctions harder to do.
And if the United States and Israel are true to their statements that they will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear capacity and that they will, in fact, use military force as a last resort if that happens, then this report is making military force more likely rather than less likely.
The people who run our intelligence agencies are very bright and they know what they're doing and this is a dumb report, I mean, really a dumb report. It's a report that would get a C-minus from anybody teaching any intelligence course anywhere in the country. The idea that you miss the notion that all they're doing is focusing on the civilian uses now to call off the dogs, but could easily switch to a military track almost in a moment. I mean, that's the most obvious thing in the world. How could they have missed that?
Shalom TV
You still worry, then, that Iran would be a nuclear threat--certainly threatening the state of Israel.
Dershowitz
I don't worry--I know it for a certainty! You take people at their word. They are clearly intending to develop a nuclear bomb. There is absolutely no doubt about that. And anyone who doubts that should not be in a position of responsibility in the United States, in Israel, or in any Western country.
Shalom TV
If you had the opportunity to influence policy at the moment, what would you advise vis-a-vis American foreign policy and Israeli foreign policy?
Dershowitz
First of all, to ignore the report, and that's what Israel is doing. Israel has said the report is worthless, and it's going to ignore it (and it should do so). The problem is you can't ignore the impact of the report. The impact of the report is going to be to diminish the case for sanctions and to increase the need for military preparedness--unfortunately. And I'm one who would much have preferred to see sanctions work against Iran because a military attack could be very counterproductive. But this report will essentially have blood on its hands if it actually increases the need for military force. ###
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