The CIA: “Iran has enough uranium” to build two nuclear bombs “

During an interview with ABC, US intelligence chief Leon Panetta also said that in Afghanistan “the war is harder than could be foreseen”

WASHINGTON – Iran has “enough uranium for two atomic bombs”. The head of the CIA, Leon Panetta, said this in an interview with ABC. Iran, he added, “encountered technical problems in uranium enrichment”. But then the same Panetta did not want to respond to the ABC interviewer who asked him if these technical problems had been caused by sabotage operations. “We continue to push them towards the peaceful use of nuclear power. And if they do – said Panetta – they would not have these problems, because the international community would go out of their way to help them, rather than letting them solve them”.

Concerning the obvious divergences between the United States and Israel, I respect Iran’s nuclear intentions: “Israel is more convinced of us that Tehran has decided to proceed with the atomic bomb,” the head of the CIA told ABC. But at the request of the TV network to judge the likelihood of an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities over the next two years, Panetta responded that Israel is willing to give the United States time to explore the diplomatic option.

“They know that the sanctions will have an impact – he added – they know that if we continue to push Iran from the diplomatic point, we will have an impact and we want to leave time to change Iran diplomatically, culturally and politically, rather than change it militarily”.

During same meeting with journalists from the television network, the head of US intelligence also spoke at length about the commitment of the US military in Afghanistan. The war “progresses” – said Panetta – but it is “harder and slower than expected, because it proved to be very difficult”. “We gain ground,” he added, but “the key lies in the Afghan government’s ability to accept the responsibility” to continue fighting the rebels once foreign troops have left the country “.

” The esteem of Al Qaeda militants in Afghanistan is relatively small – Panetta said again – at most we think there are 50 or 100, maybe even less “. There is no doubt, according to the head of the CIA,”

“Winning in Afghanistan – concluded Panetta – means having a stable country to the point of no longer offering refuge to Al Qaeda or the Taliban that welcome Al Qaeda. This is the measure of success for the United States”.

(June 27, 2010)