Clapper: Iran now has capacity to 'eventually' build nuclear weapons - duuh

Clapper continues his senile “brilliance”…even before an Iranian nuclear program started, Iran ALWAYS had the capacity to ‘eventually’ build nuclear weapons.  Even Tanzania has the capacity to ‘eventually’ build nuclear weapons.

 

B

 

 

http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/secure/2013/03_27/1.asp

 

Clapper: Iran now has capacity to 'eventually' build nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON — The United States has determined that Iran, despite negotiations with the West, was moving toward nuclear weapons capability.

The U.S. intelligence community issued an assessment that Teheran has advanced in many areas of nuclear weapons capability. In an assessment submitted to Congress, the intelligence community cited Iran's enhanced ability to enrich uranium, construct nuclear reactors and design ballistic missiles and warheads.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testifies at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on March 12.

"Teheran has developed technical expertise in a number of areas — including uranium enrichment, nuclear reactors, and ballistic missiles — from which it could draw if it decided to build missile-deliverable nuclear weapons," National Intelligence director James Clapper said.

In a briefing to the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on March 12, Clapper said Iran was developing capabilities meant to enable a nuclear weapons option. He said Iran already has acquired the capacity to "eventually" assemble nuclear weapons.

"These technical advancements strengthen our assessment that Iran has the scientific, technical and industrial capacity to eventually produce nuclear weapons," Clapper said. "This makes the central issue its political will to do so."

The assessment stressed that the intelligence community does not know whether Iran would eventually decide to build nuclear weapons. Still, Clapper said Iran continues to progress in key areas to enable the production of weapons-grade uranium.

"We judge that Iran is trying to balance conflicting objectives," Clapper said. "It wants to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities and avoid severe repercussions — such as a military strike or regime threatening sanctions."

The assessment was issued as the administration of President Barack Obama intensified efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear program. Officials and analysts agreed that a U.S. reconciliation with Iran marked Obama's leading foreign policy goal in 2013.

Clapper said Iran was expected to capitalize on its huge ballistic missile arsenal for any nuclear weapons program. He said Iranian missiles, including the Shihab-3 and Sejil-2, were designed to contain nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction warheads.

"We judge Iran would likely choose a ballistic missile as its preferred method of delivering a nuclear weapon, if one is ever fielded," Clapper said. "Iran's ballistic missiles are capable of delivering WMD."

Iran, with the largest ballistic missile inventory in the Middle East, was also said to be moving toward the option of building intercontinental ballistic missiles. The assessment cited Iran's assembly and firing of space-launch vehicles, regarded as a stepping stone to ICBMs.

"We grow increasingly concerned that these technical steps — along with a regime hostile toward the United States and our allies — provide Teheran with the means and motivation to develop larger space-launch vehicles and longer-range missiles, including an intercontinental ballistic missile," Clapper said.