History Repeats Itself

A new intelligence report released on Tuesday revealed that Iran stopped working on its nuclear weapons program in 2003.

This new information contradicts the National Intelligence Estimate of 2005, which declared that Iran was a threat to the international community.

The estimate is less severe than a 2005 report that judged the Iranian leadership was "determined to develop nuclear weapons despite its international obligations and international pressure."

Under the new report, it was determined that the country would not have enough highly concentrated uranium to make a nuclear weapon until 2010 to 2015.

Many have said the Bush administration has been positioning itself for a conflict with Iran.

The revised U.S. conclusions come after months of accusations that the Bush administration was attempting to maneuver the United States into a conflict with Iran, which it also accuses of meddling in the nearly 5-year-old war in Iraq. In October, the United States designated elements of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as supporters of terrorism and nuclear proliferation.

On Wednesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the new review is a “declaration of victory.”

"This is a declaration of victory for the Iranian nation against the world powers over the nuclear issue," Ahmadinejad told thousands of people during a visit to Ilam province in western Iran.

"This was a final shot to those who, in the past several years, spread a sense of threat and concern in the world through lies of nuclear weapons," Ahmadinejad said, drawing celebratory whistles from the crowd.

Once again, the United States is losing valuable support from its key allies, such as China and the European Union. The Bush administration’s stance on Iran is also being questioned by policy makers from the United States.

Sen. Joe Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the fact that Iran was several years away from nuclear weapons capability meant "the international community has a significant window of opportunity in which to act to avoid the stark choice between going to war or accepting a nuclear Iran."

"But the Bush administration has long lacked a comprehensive strategy to take advantage of this window," the Delaware Democrat and Democratic presidential hopeful said in a statement. "Instead of continuing its obsession with regime change and irresponsible talk of 'World War III,' we need a policy that focuses on conduct change."

The Bush administration said it still considers Iran a threat, despite the new report.

Déjà vu?