Iran: Teheran’S Nuclear Recklessness and the U.S
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S. Hrg. 109–672 IRAN: TEHERAN’S NUCLEAR RECKLESSNESS AND THE U.S. RESPONSE—THE EXPERTS’ PERSPECTIVE HEARING BEFORE THE FEDERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION, AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION NOVEMBER 15, 2005 Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ( U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 24–931 PDF WASHINGTON : 2006 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate 0ct 09 2002 09:21 Nov 17, 2006 Jkt 024931 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 C:\DOCS\24931.TXT SAFFAIRS PsN: PAT COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine, Chairman TED STEVENS, Alaska JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN, Connecticut GEORGE V. VOINOVICH, Ohio CARL LEVIN, Michigan NORM COLEMAN, Minnesota DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii TOM COBURN, Oklahoma THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware LINCOLN D. CHAFEE, Rhode Island MARK DAYTON, Minnesota ROBERT F. BENNETT, Utah FRANK LAUTENBERG, New Jersey PETE V. DOMENICI, New Mexico MARK PRYOR, Arkansas JOHN W. WARNER, Virginia MICHAEL D. BOPP, Staff Director and Chief Counsel JOYCE A. RECHTSCHAFFEN, Minority Staff Director and Chief Counsel TRINA DRIESSNACK TYRER, Chief Clerk FEDERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION, AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE TOM COBURN, Oklahoma, Chairman TED STEVENS, Alaska THOMAS CARPER, Delaware GEORGE V. VOINOVICH, Ohio CARL LEVIN, Michigan LINCOLN D. CHAFEE, Rhode Island DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii ROBERT F. BENNETT, Utah MARK DAYTON, Minnesota PETE V. DOMENICI, New Mexico FRANK LAUTENBERG, New Jersey JOHN W. WARNER, Virginia KATY FRENCH, Staff Director SHEILA MURPHY, Minority Staff Director JOHN KILVINGTON, Minority Deputy Staff Director LIZ SCRANTON, Chief Clerk (II) VerDate 0ct 09 2002 09:21 Nov 17, 2006 Jkt 024931 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 C:\DOCS\24931.TXT SAFFAIRS PsN: PAT C O N T E N T S Opening statements: Page Senator Coburn ................................................................................................. 1 Senator Dayton ................................................................................................. 4 Senator Lautenberg .......................................................................................... 4 Senator Carper ................................................................................................. 5 Senator Akaka .................................................................................................. 7 Senator Domenici ............................................................................................. 11 Senator Collins ................................................................................................. 21 WITNESSES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2005 Hon. R. James Woolsey, Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency ............. 9 Hon. Alfonse D’Amato, Former U.S. Senator from the State of New York ........ 12 Hon. Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives .............. 15 Gary S. Samore, Vice President, Program on Global Security and Sustain- ability, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation ............................... 29 Ray Takeyh, Senior Fellow, Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Rela- tions ....................................................................................................................... 31 Ilan Berman, Vice President for Policy, American Foreign Policy Council ........ 33 Hon. Rick Santorum, a U.S. Senator from the State of Pennsylvania ................ 43 ALPHABETICAL LIST OF WITNESSES Berman, Ilan: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 33 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 99 D’Amato, Hon. Alfonse: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 12 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 53 Gingrich, Hon. Newt: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 15 Prepared statement with attachments ........................................................... 57 Samore, Gary S.: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 29 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 88 Santorum, Hon. Rick: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 43 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 43 Takeyh, Ray: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 31 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 93 Woolsey, Hon. R. James: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 9 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 49 APPENDIX Article submitted by Senator Carper entitled ‘‘Iran’s Strategic Weapons Pro- grammes, a net assessment,’’ dated September 6, 2005 ................................... 105 Questions and responses for the Record from Mr. Woolsey ................................. 109 (III) VerDate 0ct 09 2002 09:21 Nov 17, 2006 Jkt 024931 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 C:\DOCS\24931.TXT SAFFAIRS PsN: PAT VerDate 0ct 09 2002 09:21 Nov 17, 2006 Jkt 024931 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 C:\DOCS\24931.TXT SAFFAIRS PsN: PAT IRAN: TEHERAN’S NUCLEAR RECKLESSNESS AND THE U.S. RESPONSE—THE EXPERTS’ PERSPECTIVE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2005 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION, AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY, OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, Washington, DC. The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 3:05 p.m., in room 342, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Tom Coburn, Chairman of the Subcommittee, presiding. Present: Senators Coburn, Domenici, Collins, Carper, Akaka, Dayton, and Lautenberg, Also Present: Senator Santorum. OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR COBURN Senator COBURN. The hearing will come to order. We will at- tempt it. There are certain Senatorial habits that tend to persist even when one leaves the Senate, I believe. Thank you for joining us today. This hearing will focus on Iran and examine the relationship between Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and its status as a state-sponsor of terrorism. Some have argued that we should de-link Iran’s global support for terror from its pursuit of nuclear weapons. They suggest that the two problems are different and need to be addressed dif- ferently. I couldn’t disagree more. The facts that Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons and that it is a terrorist regime are not two different problems—they are the same problem. Possession of nuclear capabilities by responsible governments who use such weapons defensively and as a deterrent and who have a track record of respecting life and liberty is one thing. But that’s not what we’re dealing with here. A nuclear weapon in the hands of the regime in Teheran could mean that no one on earth is safe from nuclear attack. Iran has a history of supporting terror against its own citizens and against the United States—and that is why the State Department lists it as a state sponsor of ter- rorism. Permitting a more destructive weapon in the hands of those motivated to murder is worse than reckless, it is immoral. I am convinced that history will judge those who spent more time talking and less time acting to prevent such a disaster. Action is (1) VerDate 0ct 09 2002 09:21 Nov 17, 2006 Jkt 024931 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 C:\DOCS\24931.TXT SAFFAIRS PsN: PAT 2 demanded when we move from talking about nuclear proliferation to talking about just who it is that is proliferating. So exactly what are Iran’s intentions? If they weren’t clear be- fore, they certainly are now. Just last month, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proclaimed to the world his government’s desire to ‘‘wipe Israel off the face of the map.’’ This statement sent chills around the globe. British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated, ‘‘I feel a real sense of revulsion at these remarks. Anyone in Eu- rope, knowing our history, when we hear such statements made about Israel, it makes us feel very angry. It’s completely wrong.’’ White House spokesman Scott McClellan correctly stated, ‘‘Iran’s pronounced intention underscores the concerns we have about Iran’s nuclear intentions.’’ There should be no doubt that Iran isn’t just blustering here. Iran has a record of carrying out its threats. Iran’s history of sup- porting murderous terrorist activity speaks for itself. That’s why the United States has, for the ninth consecutive year in a row, list- ed Iran as the ‘‘most active’’ state sponsor of terrorism. That is why the State Department said in its Country Report on Terrorism for Iran: ‘‘During 2004, Iran maintained a high-profile