More doubts on Iran intelligence report

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Conservatives are not the only ones who are criticizing the latest U.S. intelligence assessment of Iran's nuclear program.

Some moderate and liberal foreign policy experts express doubts about the National Intelligence Estimate that says Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, The Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

Sharon Squassoni of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington says the report is silent on the fact that the Iranians resumed enrichment in 2006 and reversed an earlier inspection agreement.

"The halting of the weaponization program in 2003 is less important from a proliferation standpoint than resumption of the enrichment program in 2006," said Gary Samore, a top arms control official in the Clinton White House.

Several current and former government officials interviewed by the Washington Times questioned the National Intelligence Estimate because they say its authors are anti-Bush former State Department officials.

"One has to look at the agendas of the primary movers of this report, to judge how much it can really be banked on," said David Wurmser, a former Middle East adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney.