Pentagon Office in Spying Case Was Focus of Iran Debate

[Dover]

Pentagon Office in Spying Case Was Focus of Iran Debate
By ERIC SCHMITT

Published: September 2, 2004


WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 - The Pentagon's policy office, where a lower-level analyst is under suspicion of passing secrets to Israel, was deeply involved in deliberations over how the United States should deal with Iran, its conservative Islamic government and its nuclear weapons ambitions - all issues of intense concern to Israel as well.

The analyst, Lawrence A. Franklin, a Farsi-speaking specialist on Iran in the office, participated in a secret outreach meeting with an Iranian opposition figure, had access to classified intelligence about Iran's nuclear program and was one of many officials involved in drafting a top-secret presidential order on Iran.

The authorities say that Mr. Franklin, a former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst, passed to lobbyists from a pro-Israel group a draft of the presidential order, known as a National Security Presidential Directive. But President Bush has not yet approved a final version because many of the policy questions themselves remain under intense debate.

"We have an ad hoc policy that we're making up as we go along," said a government official involved in the internal debate. "It is to squeeze Iran, using international pressure, to get them to rid themselves of their nuclear program." ...cont'd

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/02/politics/02pentagon.html?8br

[allemand]

1. Interesting quotes

For more than a year, a major debate over Iran policy has divided the administration. Hard-liners at the Pentagon, including some in the policy office, and, to some extent, in the office of Vice President Dick Cheney, have advocated a policy of threatening confrontation with the government in Tehran, and supporting opposition groups and student demonstrations, government officials said.

<...>

A competing position, which has prevailed as administration policy, has sought to support the elected government of President Mohammad Khatami in its battle with hard-line clerics. This policy has favored using diplomatic pressure on Tehran to end its nuclear program.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/02/politics/02pentagon.html?8br=&pagewanted=all&position=

U.S. Spy Probe Focuses on Two Lobbyists
<...>

The FBI and Justice Department have briefed a number of high-level Pentagon, congressional and White House officials about the investigation. Secretary of State Colin Powell was briefed Sunday over the telephone by Deputy Attorney General James Comey, a State Department spokesman said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4467642,00.html

Newspaper accounts say the Feith investigation has spread to or led to investigations of unnamed state department personnel, which would, in my opinion, most likely include John Bolton, a one-time assistant to then-Attorney General Ed Meese charged with stonewalling the various Iran-Contra investigations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/04/09/02_pardon.html

Powell's comments came after U.S. Under Secretary of State John Bolton issued a statement earlier on Wednesday accusing Iran of threatening global peace with its plans to process 37 tons of raw "yellowcake" uranium.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6130319

"Iran's announcements are further strong evidence of the compelling need to take Iran's nuclear program to the Security Council. The United States will continue to urge other members of the IAEA Board of Governors to join us in this effort, to deal with the Iranian threat to international peace and security," Bolton wrote.
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/09/01/iran.nuclear/

"Unless there are assurances that the international community can count on, I think it's appropriate that it (the Iran issue) be referred to the Security Council," Powell said.
http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/legislature/9557229.htm

Mr Powell said his staff were still analysing the report, but said he planned to talk to European Union members Britain, France and Germany, as well as other members of the IAEA, to try to reach a consensus.

<...>

"There are a number of countries I think that would say, 'No, let's not do it yet; let's take another look at it in November.' We think there's enough now to do it, but I obviously have to hear what others have to say," he said.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/09/02/1093939067428.html?oneclick=true

Asked whether the time had come to isolate, rather than to engage, Iran, Powell said he thought there could still be a diplomatic solution.

"Diplomacy never works until it works," he said. "I think there is still a diplomatic track here."

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6130319


Connect the dots.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. kick

[struggle4progress]

3. and again

:kick:

[allemand]

4. Interesting article in today's LA Times

Israel Has Long Spied on U.S., Say Officials

By Bob Drogin and Greg Miller
Times Staff Writers

September 3, 2004

WASHINGTON — Despite its fervent denials, Israel secretly maintains a large and active intelligence-gathering operation in the United States that has long attempted to recruit U.S. officials as spies and to procure classified documents, U.S. government officials said.

<...>

"They are sophisticated enough to want to know where the levers are they can influence, which people in our government are taking which positions they can try to influence," said a former high-ranking CIA official.

<...>

Washington and Tel Aviv differ on their assessments of Iran's nuclear weapons development. Israel considers Iran's nuclear ambitions its No. 1 security threat, and the issue is the top priority for AIPAC. The Bush administration takes the Iran nuclear threat seriously, but its intelligence estimates classify the danger as less imminent than do the Israeli assessments.

More:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-spyprobe3sep03,1,4068220.story?coll=la-home-headlines