69 million page views

What if NIE is a bluff?

Reader comment on item: That NIE Makes War against Iran More Likely

Submitted by Noach Stern (Australia), Jul 16, 2008 at 20:45

I know this comment is a little belated, but bearing in mind Dr Pipe's point that continuous re-evaluation is the order of the day, I would like to add another question to the many which beset this document's first appearance.

What if there was a covert intention behind NIE, namely (in John Le Carre style) to precipitate the actors into involuntary reactions to their own cost? Take for example, Iran's consequent increased bravado and scorn for Western intelligence and strategy? That this exercise was costly to the West is plain to see, as we become foolishly "like grasshoppers in our own sight" compared to the determination of its enemy.

But is there no benefit?

I wouldn't like to be seen as buying into conspiracy theories. However, if military intervention is better sooner and harder, would not this option appear to have risen to the top in equally as timely a fashion? In fact, partly due to NIE, there now is no other option left.

Over to you.

Dislike
Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)