U.N. Inspectors Dispute Iran Report By House Panel

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- UN inspectors probing Iran's nuclear program angrily complained yesterday to the Bush administration and to a Republican congressman about a recent House panel report on Iran's capabilities, calling parts of the document ``outrageous and dishonest," and offering evidence to dispute its central claims.

Officials at the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency said in a letter that the report contained ``erroneous, misleading, and unsubstantiated statements." The letter, signed by a senior director at the agency, was addressed to Representative Peter Hoekstra, a Michigan Republican who is chairman of the House intelligence committee that issued the report, and a copy was delivered to Gregory Schulte, the US ambassador to the IAEA in Vienna.
...
Yesterday's letter, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Post, was the first time the IAEA has publicly disputed U.S. allegations about its Iran investigation. The agency noted five major errors in the committee's 29-page report, which said Iran's nuclear capabilities are more advanced than either the IAEA or U.S. intelligence has shown.

Among the committee's assertions is that Iran is producing weapons-grade uranium at its facility in the town of Natanz. The IAEA called that "incorrect," noting that weapons-grade uranium is enriched to a level of 90 percent or more. Iran has enriched uranium to 3.5 percent under IAEA monitoring.

When the congressional report was released last month, Hoekstra said his intent was "to help increase the American public's understanding of Iran as a threat." Spokesman Jamal Ware said yesterday that Hoekstra will respond to the IAEA letter.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/13/AR2006091302052.html

[yellerpup]

1. Outrageous and dishonest.

That's our Congress. :eyes:

[Rose Siding]

2. "This is like prewar Iraq all over again"

"This is like prewar Iraq all over again," said David Albright, a former nuclear inspector who is president of the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security. "You have an Iranian nuclear threat that is spun up, using bad information that's cherry-picked and a report that trashes the inspectors."

[stepnw1f]

3. Just Like Iraq... Manipulating Intelligence for Another Invasion (nt)

[rodeodance]

4. looky what Hoestra said!!

......When the congressional report was released last month, Hoekstra said his intent was "to help increase the American public's understanding of Iran as a threat." Spokesman Jamal Ware said yesterday that Hoekstra will respond to the IAEA letter.

[Seabiscuit]

5. IAEA: U.S. Report on Iran "Outrageous and Dishonest"

Boy, here we go again, folks:

The United Nations atomic agency called parts of a Congressional report that said the U.S. needs better intelligence about Iran's nuclear activities ``outrageous and dishonest.''

The report contains ``erroneous, misleading and unsubstantiated information,'' reads a Sept. 12 International Atomic Energy Agency letter addressed to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Peter Hoekstra, a Republican Congressman from Michigan. The letter urged the committee to check its facts in the future.

``Recognizing Iran as a Strategic Threat: An Intelligence Challenge for the United States,'' was published by the Committee on Aug. 23. Its author, Frederick Fleitz, was a senior adviser to the U.S.'s UN ambassador, John Bolton, until 2005.

The UN agency's letter, drafted by External Relations Director Vilmos Cserveny, condemned the report's insinuation that nuclear inspectors were following ``unstated IAEA policy'' of suppressing information about Iran's atomic work. A copy of the letter was obtained by Bloomberg News.

The IAEA letter also drew attention to factual errors in the House report, including assertions that Iran is producing ``weapons-grade'' uranium.

``Weapons-grade is commonly used to refer to uranium enriched to the order of 90 percent,'' the letter said. Iran has enriched uranium to a 3.6 percent level, according to the IAEA.

More:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a4GhCBD7phfQ&refer=us

[mom cat]

6. K&R and thanks to the IAEA for challenging the lies.

[rodeodance]

7. so, they cautht them 'in the act' this time!! I have hopes this time

that "the world" will keep an eye on the US/WH.


Perhaps with this (and hopefully others to come)--the WH will not be able to tell the mantra 'and other countries agreed"

[rodeodance]

8. REC.

[Felinity]

9. Here we go again K&R n/t

[leesa]

10. Gee...where have we heard THESE lies before?

3.6% enrichment vs 90% enrichment...close enough for these war criminals.

[ceile]

11. K&R

[oasis]

12. "Weapons-grade...uranium enriched 90 percent". Iran at 3.6 percent level.

:wow: :wtf:PNACer Bolton and his lying warmongerers are up to their old mischief.

[Seabiscuit]

13. It's Cheney's old 1% solution...

If there's a 1% chance Cheney treats it as a certainty. Seriously. That's been Cheney's policy since he concocted the WMD story on Iraq.

Since Iran's enrichment is 3.6%, the PNAC'ers treat it as "weapons grade".

[Up2Late]

22. This was written by "a House Staffer" who worked for Bolton at State.

Go figure. :banghead:

[mom cat]

14. Kick ... this needs rating up for everyone to see!

:kick:

[Judi Lynn]

15. US Iran report branded dishonest

Last Updated: Thursday, 14 September 2006, 15:14 GMT 16:14 UK

US Iran report branded dishonest

The UN nuclear watchdog has protested to the US government over a report on Iran's nuclear programme it called "outrageous" and "dishonest" .

In a letter, the IAEA said a congressional report suggested Iran's programme was more advanced than had actually been determined.
(snip)

The letter, signed by a senior official at the International Atomic Energy Agency, says the 23 August report by the US House intelligence committee contains "erroneous, misleading... information".

It says the report was wrong to say that Iran had enriched uranium to weapons-grade level when the IAEA had only found small quantities of enrichment at far lower levels.
(snip/...)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5346524.stm

[eccles12]

16. Here they go again... I hope the UN raises a big stink about this.

The rest of the world should never be duped into another war by the US neocons.

[MisterP]

19. oh crap, this would put us at Feb. '03

at least My Lai, Me Lie Colon Bowel hasn't tried to scare the UN yet while covering up "Guernica"

[Freedom_from_Chains]

17. Wow, our government lied! What a surprise. n/t

[acmavm]

18. I think bombing Iran will be the 'October surprise'.

[warrens]

20. A lying repuke?

I better lie down, I think I've come down with the vapors.

[Up2Late]

21. K&R! Here's more: UN attacks US nuclear report on Iran (The Guardian)

UN attacks US nuclear report on Iran

David Fickling
Thursday September 14, 2006
Guardian Unlimited

The UN's nuclear watchdog has made a stinging attack on the US Congress over an "outrageous and dishonest" report on Iran's nuclear programme.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that the congressional report published last month contained "erroneous, misleading and unsubstantiated information", and that it took "strong exception" to "incorrect and misleading" claims in the report that the IAEA was covering up some of its doubts about Iran's nuclear intentions.

A letter from the IAEA to Peter Hoekstra, chairman of the intelligence select committee in the house of representatives, was leaked to the Washington Post today.

Washington has been keen to ramp up pressure on Iran at a time when Russia, China, the UK, France and Germany - the other main negotiators over Iran's nuclear programme - are favouring a more cautious approach.

(more at link) <http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,1872679,00.html>

UN blasts Congress for 'misleading' Iran report

By Sam Knight and agencies

The UN's nuclear watchdog has angrily accused American politicians of exaggerating the extent of Iran's nuclear programme and trying to discredit its inspectors.

In a letter given to journalists outside a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today, a senior official refuted a report released by the Republican-dominated House Intelligence Committee on August 23, which said that Iran would "not be satisfied until it poses a threat to the entire world".

The letter, addressed to Peter Hoekstra, the Republican chairman of the committee, accused the US congressmen of making a litany of misleading statements, as well as implying that the IAEA sidelined an inspector who believed that Iran is deceiving the body about the character of its nuclear ambitions.

In a move described by a spokeswoman as "setting the record straight" and reminiscent of disagreements between the IAEA and the Bush Administration in the run-up to the war in Iraq, the IAEA said that the congressional committee had released "erroneous, misleading, and unsubstantiated "information in its 29-page report.

(more at link) <http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2358278,00.html>

U.N. Report on Iran at Odds with House Committee

Audio for this story will be available at approx. 6:00 p.m. ET

Talk of the Nation, September 14, 2006 · Guests discuss the recent clash between the United Nations Atomic Agency with the U.S. House Intelligence Committee over a report on Iran's nuclear capabilities.
<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6076173>

[YankeyMCC]

23. US Iran report branded dishonest

(snip)
The UN nuclear watchdog has protested to the US government over a report on Iran's nuclear programme, calling it "erroneous" and "misleading".

In a leaked letter, the IAEA said a congressional report contained serious distortions of the agency's own findings on Iran's nuclear activity.

(snip)
t says the report was wrong to say that Iran had enriched uranium to weapons-grade level when the IAEA had only found small quantities of enrichment at far lower levels.


The letter took "strong exception to the incorrect and misleading assertion" that the IAEA removed senior safeguards inspector Chris Charlier for "allegedly raising concerns about Iranian deception" over its programme
(snip)


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5346524.stm

The report and letter are linked in the article.

[BattyDem]

24. You mean ... the US lied in the report?

I'm shocked!

:sarcasm:

[Double T]

25. Are they trying to tell US that the american government.........

is fabricating evidence against a foreign nation that has been identified as part of the dreaded 'axis of evil'? NOWAY, say it is not true!!!!

[Up2Late]

26. Dupe post

Here's the other: <http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2510371>

[Laughing Mirror]

27. this pack full of lies "relied heavily on unclassified testimony"

just like the last one. Is it any wonder the US Bush regime is now so inexorably discredited in so many places all over the world?

[donco6]

28. IAEA: ‘Outrageous’ inaccuracies in Iran report

VIENNA, Austria - A recent House of Representatives committee report on Iran’s nuclear capability is “outrageous and dishonest” in trying to make a case that Tehran’s program is geared toward making weapons, a senior official of the U.N. nuclear watchdog has said.

The letter, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press outside a 35-nation board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says the report is false in saying Iran is making weapons-grade uranium at an experimental enrichment site, when it has in fact produced material only in small quantities that is far below the level that can be used in nuclear arms.

The letter, which was first reported on by The Washington Post, also says the report erroneously says that IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei removed a senior nuclear inspector from the team investigating Iran’s nuclear program “for concluding that the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program is to construct weapons.” In fact, the inspector was sidelined on Tehran’s request, and the Islamic republic had a right to ask for a replacement under agreements that govern all states relationships with the agency, said the letter, calling the report’s version “incorrect and misleading.”


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14838090/

[Fridays Child]

29. Here we go, again.

The OSP and the WHIG are gearing up the lie machine for their next war.

[donco6]

30. That's what I got out of the article.

The drumbeats are starting.

[rodeodance]

31. But this comes from the House not the WH. I do not know what that

means.

[mediaman007]

32. I know what it means...it means that spin (lies) are so numerous that

nothing can be taken at face value anymore. Washington needs a makeover! Everything is so geared to public relations that the public loses the right to know the truth. Shame on this administration. Shame on politicians in general.

We need policy makers with values. Heaven help a Democrat(s) who are elected to office. They will have to straighten this mess out, but it will be near impossible since 30-40% of the electorate will immediately distrust anything they do.

Pretty sad state of affairs.

[VolcanoJen]

33. It's October 2002 all over again.

"Outrageous and dishonest."

Sound familiar?

[junior college]

34. It's going to be fun

watching the Bush machine try to demonize the UN all over again. Can't wait to read the spin in tomorrow's paper.