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Former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte on Iran’s nuclear program.
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President Obama will be telling Israeli television that all options are on the table when it comes to Iran the comments came less than a week before the president's stresses.
To Israel is scheduled joining us now is John never body.
Dean is the first Director of National Intelligence under president George W.
Bush and five time ambassador.
Ambassador it's great to have you witness we appreciate it thank you -- I'm gonna -- this breaking news that we've just received an additional fourteen interceptors being deployed.
-- missiles.
Missile bases in California and Alaska.
In response apparently to purely to the threat by North Korea.
Your thoughts.
Well my reaction is that this is a precaution.
If a theoretical capacity of these missiles.
Is that they could -- conceivably reach.
The shores of the West Coast to the United States or Alaska.
But today in past tests that they've conducted over the years these.
Rockets have usually fizzled somewhere.
Over the Asian continent -- into the Pacific Ocean so.
But still it's bluster on their part and it's I think were wise to at least take the precaution.
Very sometimes -- very drastic things and and and at times sick carry them out such as when they say they're gonna carry out a nuclear test or shoot a satellite and the stratosphere so I think the better part of wisdom is to take the steps that apparently have just been announced.
Or investor let's let's turn from the response -- the administration to those threats -- the administration's preparations for meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu the prime minister of Israel.
And going to Israel -- first official visit saying that all options are on the table with a -- He is it your sense that things are deteriorating further.
-- with Iran or that this foreign policy that's been followed by this administration is what is in some -- effective.
Well I don't think that's entirely new language -- that President Bush used the same.
Kind of line on the subject of Iran and I think it's too make clear that while we're prepared pursue a negotiating option.
That if that were not successful in deflecting or deterring Iran from acquiring.
Nuclear weapons that we don't rule out the possibility.
Of the direct use of force there are -- got ongoing negotiations at the moment.
I don't think they've made particularly lot of progress but they're going to be a couple of more rounds that -- gonna take place and we'll have to see.
What happens my personal view is that Iran is in fact determined.
To acquire nuclear weapons and sooner or later we and Israel and other interest income and interest in countries.
Are going to be confronted with the issue as to what to do about it and obviously that's gonna be very high.
On the agenda of president Obama's meetings.
With the Israeli leaders because for Israel the question of Iran and it's acquiring nuclear weapons is a truly thank.
Substantial threat.
And today it's we were back where we're back some six years.
2007.
We started hearing that there Iran would have.
That there -- a nuclear bombs within -- within two to three years than weaves and 20072008.
July 2009 march 2010.
April 2010.
And so on each year.
And at this point -- what.
Is zero point at which we have every confidence in our assessment as to how soon.
A -- will have a nuclear.
-- Well when I took over as Director of National Intelligence in 2005.
We made an assessment that Iran was determined that was allowing the use determines to acquire nuclear weapon.
And that the timetable we -- saw was somewhere in there requiring a capacity somewhere between 2010.
And 2015.
So we're right in that right that time zone.
So to speak now you know predicting that -- any degree of precision is not that easy to do but we know.
That they have done a lot of work on various elements -- -- nuclear military capacity.
You've got the enrichment.
We know they've enriched a lot of uranium we know they have the -- our capability to launch capability.
I think the issue that's been in doubt the most is how much work have they done on the question of weapons design and that's the part that I believe is the least well understood -- well -- But I think that's the remaining piece of the puzzle.
Ambassador it's always good to talk -- come -- -- -- and battle -- out -- right on the facts.
