Is Iran building nuclear weapons - or ...?

NOT, according to Dr. Thomas Fingar, who stepped down a few days ago from the post of Deputy Director of national intelligence and Chairman of the National Intelligence Council.

For the basics of the story, see: http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=184537

But, if Iran is not building nuclear weapons, WHY is it refusing to co-operate with the International Atomic Energy Agency?

Is this simply Middle Eastern bravado such as was displayed by Saddam Hussein and his henchmen who promised "the mother of all battles" even though they had, as far as has been discovered so far, practically nothing in terms of nuclear, biological, chemical or other "weapons of mass destruction"?

The trouble with this kind of bravado is that it is self-destroying. First, no one knows when you are telling the truth and when you are just telling tall tales. Second, everyone must of course take a worst-case scenario into account - which itself ups the tension. And third, no one knows whethere or when or how far they can trust you.

Everyone is possibly likely to tell a lie some time or under some circumstances. But where a culture makes a habit of lying or a tradition of lying or even takes pride in its ability to lie, it becomes very difficult to deal with it. Sphere: Related Content