Britannia Radio

FACING IRAN ’S ONGOING NUCLEARIZATION

A RETROSPECTIVE ON PROJECT DANIEL

 

 

As just published in International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, Vol. 22, Issue 3, June 2009, pp. 491-514

 

Louis René Beres

Chair of Project Daniel

Professor of International Law

Department of Political Science

Purdue University

West Lafayette IN  47907

USA

lberes@purdue.edu

 

 

The views expressed in this retrospective are those of Professor Louis René Beres, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any other members of Project Daniel, or of any government.

 

 

            As in all complex strategic affairs, the urgent matter of Iranian nuclearization is now closely interwoven with multi-layered issues of intelligence and counterintelligence. This is especially the case for Israel, a microstate that remains fixedly in the annihilatory cross hairs of the Islamic Republic in Tehran. What follows, therefore, is a comprehensive and informed six-year retrospective and re-assessment of Project Daniel that includes, for the very first time, certain timely and pertinent intelligence concerns. While these important concerns were assuredly implicit in our initial and original formulations, I have attempted here to bring them (selectively, of course) out into the open. My hope, in this connection, is that the reader will find my determined fusion of strategy and intelligence purposeful and productive, both generically/theoretically, and in particular reference to the unique Iranian peril facing Israel.

 

            Iran still proceeds toward nuclear weapon status largely unencumbered. What precisely does this mean for Israel?Has Israel already run out of time?  

Six years ago, a small private group of Israeli and American strategists issued an informed and authoritative set of recommendations. We identified our effort as Project Daniel. Today, some of these recommendations, which were first made public in May 2004, may have become more problematic. Nonetheless, they are by no means less valid or less valuable. Rather, still conceptually sound, they warrant very close and continuing study, especially as there is a new prime minister in Jerusalem and a new president in Washington. 

ISRAEL'S STRATEGIC FUTURE: THE FINAL REPORT OF PROJECT DANIEL

 

CLICK ON ATTACHED FILE FOR COMPLETE REPORT