Dangerous Ambiguity

According to the New York Times, U.S. intelligence experts believe Iran isn't currently planning to build a nuclear weapon. Instead, it may be using Saddam Hussein's disinformation playbook -- not the smartest move when facing adversaries whose patience for "strategic ambiguity" has declined since Sept. 11:

[S]ome intelligence officials and outside analysts believe there is another possible explanation for Iran’s enrichment activity, besides a headlong race to build a bomb as quickly as possible. They say that Iran could be seeking to enhance its influence in the region by creating what some analysts call “strategic ambiguity.” Rather than building a bomb now, Iran may want to increase its power by sowing doubt among other nations about its nuclear ambitions. Some point to the examples of Pakistan and India, both of which had clandestine nuclear weapons programs for decades before they actually decided to build bombs and test their weapons in 1998.