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IRAN'S NUCLEAR OPTION: Tehran's Quest for the Atom Bomb

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Mr. Venter has again capitalized upon his tremendous links within the military/industrial world to bring a truly frightening book to print. He has strung together multiple sources to attempt to capture the full story as we, outside of the ruling elite in Iran, know the state of affairs to be. This read is a great follow-up to "The Iraqi War Debrief" and should be in every free person's library.

The authors preface about "events" directly related to his writing of the book occurring in his native South Africa gets he reader rolling on this subject. Stephen Tanners foreword and the introduction by Mr. Venter summarize where his book is leading and lead the reader into the more in-depth coverage in the coming pages. The potential retaliation by Israel if struck by nukes from Iran is almost biblical in its connotations.

Part I deals with the background of the current Iranian government and gives enough detail of the brutal Iran-Iraq war to provide insight to why Iran is developing WMD. The links with religion and a drive to create an Islamic world, as viewed by Iran, tie in neatly to a program of frightening weapons and attempts at regional, if not world domination.

Part II opens the door on other nations that are helping the Iranians on their programs. The scenario presented for use of nuclear weapons in downtown Manhattan is scary - and unthinkable for any American president to allow to happen. This portion of the book also begins to explore other countries aid to Iran and the shadowy link between South Africa and Iran. If such countries as South Africa, Pakistan, and Israel can create nuclear weapons without knowledge of the IAEA where do we as the world go from here with "sanctions" and negotiations with any rouge nations? The set-up looks exactly like Iraq and how the international community was strung along by the UN in really facing up to the issue.

Part III links together the Iranian terror links from sources all through the world and ties up the packages presented in earlier sections with a global plan from the 1979 revolution. Frightening stuff from a western point of view. It finishes with "What Next" - the informed reader can decide.
The Appendices are a good source of were Mr. Venter gets is information. Appendix B gives the reader a glimpse as why international inspections do not work - they make the community feel good because they think they are doing something - all that is really happening is a paper shuffle - no instant verification. Appendix E deals with South Africa's nuclear program, good bit of information in there (does anyone else remember "superbursts" of lightning in the Indian Ocean in the late 70's?).

Overall -

Excellent study, buy two copies; read one and send the other to your congressman or senator.

After 9/11, the "nuclear mushroom" threat has become the magic tool in the hands of politicians to sell the policy of global intervention and preemptive wars to the American voters. Since nuclear military technology is exclusively limited to experts, it added extra burden on the voters to right-guess the real intention of the politicians.

In this book, the author attempts to "chase the ghost" of clandestine building of atomic bomb. He extrapolates hypothetical events and conclusions, sometimes makes up stories of his own, and sometimes slams inaccurate information without attempting to verify their accuracy.

The "Preface" outlines the author's fear of cataclysmic terrorism had a theocratic Iran turned nuclear. He bases his fear on the desire of Iran to establish an Islamic empire, destroy Israel, threaten the USA, and even knock down the entire global satellite system and bring civilization to the Stone Age.

The "Forward" by Stephen Tanner, singles out Iran as "the foremost gathering threat" because of the past glory of the Persian Empire, the Islamic fundamentalism, and the intrusive Israeli and Iraqi aggression that taught Iran a lesson in self-defense.

The "Introduction" discusses the proliferation of nuclear weapons. He claims that South Africa, Germany, Russia, China, and Pakistan helped Iran, each for different motives. Here, the author inserts much inaccurate information, as follows:

1- He cites flawed data that claim that the centrifuge spins at 60,000 rpm and that that exceeds 7 times the speed of sound. [The rotors only have 4 to 20 inches in diameter, which renders the maximal linear speed less that double the speed of sound].

2- The atomic attack on the global satellite system is far fetched. It claims that a nuclear detonation at altitude 100 to 200 miles by Shahab-3 armed missile could knock down unprotected low orbiting satellites. [Yet, at that altitude, the lack of atmosphere diminishes the shock of detonation and irradiation.]

3- The author proposes that the dirty bomb is an easier option since uranium enrichment is formidably expensive, bomb design is scientifically challenging, and bomb materials are scarcely available. This eliminates the possibility of nuclear threat by non-state enemy.

Chapter 1, "Iran: Its people and Government", describes the demography and resources of Iran. It cites the loss of 400,000 Iranian in the 8-year war with Iraq by 1987 and the cost of $350 billion.

Chapter 2, "The Iran-Iraq war, 1980-1988" admits to the severe effect of the Iraqi aggression and world's conspiracy against Iran in changing the people to protect themselves, their borders, and culture.

Chapter 3, "Iran's Shi'ites: Provocative and Driven", discusses the differences between Sunni and Shiites, the role of the twelve Imams. It confuses religious rituals with political leadership.

Chapter 4, "How Close Is Iran to Building an A-Bomb?" contends that Iran is developing a nuclear fuel cycle for two decades, obtained the blueprint of the gas centrifuge and the bomb from Pakistan, the yellow cake from China, the highly enriched uranium from the Russian black market. The author exaggerates by

1- Inserting inefficient process of AVLIS (atomic vapor laser isotope separation) as a mean of enriching uranium.

2- Extrapolates on Chinese technicians arrested in South Africa for working of exporting Zirconium forming factory to China on behalf of Iran. That story was entirely based on guessing and skepticism.

Chapter 5, "Doomsday Equation", discusses the scenario of detonating a nuclear device in Manhattan that might kill half a million people and cost a trillion dollar loss. It discusses the difficulties of building the bulky "gun-type" bomb by U-235 versus the "spherical implosion" bomb that requires Plutonium-239, and plenty of financial resources, logistics, and testing. The author points to the suspicious behavior of Iran of undeclared import of uranium, uranium metal production, natural uranium target production for irradiation test, missing of uranium hexafloride, building heavy-water factories, and developing long-range ballistic missiles.

Chapter 6, "Iran's Multi-stemmed Centrifuge Programs: An Overview", admits to the sketchy information about the extent of Iran's enrichment of uranium. It extrapolates that using batch recycling with fewer centrifuges could achieve enough yield to make Iran nuclear, in mid-2005. As the case with Iraq, the author cites the politically motivated National Council of Resistance of Iran that first reported the Natanz complex.

Chapter 7, "Nuclear Link-up: South Africa and Iran" documents a suspicious story attributed to the South African Nuclear Program director and the role of the author in bringing it to light despite its inaccuracy.

Chapter 8, "Case Study: South Africa's Atomic Bomb" is the best chapter in the book since the author is native to that country. It asks questions such as: why a nation seeks atomic weapon? how was it achieved in secrecy and with little resources? Or why did it not accomplish its intended goal despite developing six atomic bombs.

Chapter 9, "Building Guided Missiles to Hit Israel" discuss the Iranian missiles in view of South Africa's difficulties in miniaturizing its atomic devices its help to Israel to develop the Jericho missiles, and the North Korean, Russian, and Chinese contribution of Iran's missile defense.

Chapter 10, "Iran's History of Terror", discusses the support to Hizbollah, death of thousands of dissidents, and sending of pre-age youth to war.

Chapter 11, `Iran's Unconventional weapons" discusses the efforts made by Iran to possess weapons of mass destruction in spite of its backward socioeconomic status. It also raises suspicion regarding the nuclear ambition despite the availability of natural resources of gas and oil.

Chapter 12, " Pasdaran: The Islamic Republican Guards Corps" attempts to peek into the minds of the controlling faction of military strategy and planning in hope for detecting such pathological inclination of past monstrous dictators.

Chapter 13, "What's Next?" tries to answer the fixation of Iran on acquiring Nuclear weapon. It fairly describes the era when peaceful applications of nuclear explosives were thought feasible in excavation. It entirely omits the fact that the national welfare of any nation depends on its aspiration on advancing in technology despite others' mistrust and suspicion of its motives. What is good for the goose is good for the gander?

Mohamed F. El-Hewie,
Author of
"Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training".

This book does a superb job of collecting the pertinent details of Iran's attempts to build the bomb as well as its quest for long range regional missiles and ICBM's. It also sums up the state of international attempts to learn the true state of Iran's capability and convince the mullahs to drop their nuclear aspirations. The author's Preface and the forward, by Military Historian Stephen Tanner, develop the reader's interest in the subject matter quite impressively. The book begins with a recent history of Iran over the last twenty some years and works its way through the details of not only the missile and atomic weapons programs, but the history of the Pasdaran, the Revolutionary Guards Corps, and it's involvement in a level of state sponsored terrorism that makes Al-Qaida look like a kindergarten.

Meanwhile, the usual atomic proliferation suspects, mainly Pakistan, China and North Korea, are joined by the Russian Republic and of all places, South Africa, in a ring of intrigue that shows how the US, UN and the EU have largely failed in their role of enforcing nuclear non-proliferation over the last decade or so. The implications now evident suggest a soon to be realized "Cold War" standoff at the very best, to the likely annihilation of significant numbers of the children of Abraham, Arab and Israeli, at the worst. The Soviets could always be relied upon to think along Judeo-Christian themes but the radical Islamic Theocracy will not be the same bargaining foe. The task facing the EU, with it's emphasis on buying off Iran's nuclear program in exchange for greater economic linkage to Europe, being played against the US in a "good cop - bad cop" negotiating ploy, surely feels great urgency in settling this issue quickly and peacefully if at all possible.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding exactly what is at stake. Rich in detail but at times repetitive, it poses the question why Iran, with the world's second largest natural gas reserves and 7% of the world's oil reserves, would feel compelled to spend the money and risk the wrath of the world community to develop a suspect nuclear energy program.

This is in my opinion a tremendously important book. It focuses on what may be the single greatest danger facing the world today, the acquisition of nuclear weapons by the radical Islamic fundamental state of Iran. Venter is an experienced military correspondent with rich ties both in the Middle East, and in the intelligence services of a number of nations. The picture he paints is of an Iranian regime which has for twenty years deliberately deceived the world , concealing its nuclear program. It has made contacts all over the world , from South Africa to China and including India, and Russia in order to achieve the necessary equipment and technology to build its nuclear weapon. In the persuasive foreword to the volume Defense Expert Steven Tanner gives a very clear exposition of the exact meaning of the Iranian nuclear danger. Iran has threatened more than once to destroy what it calls ' the Zionist entity' and this despite Israel's capacity to retaliate against Iranian cities in a massive way. Iranian nuclear weapons could give it dominance over the Persian Gulf. It would facilitate the creation of an a Shiite superstate with Iraqi Shiites. Even more dangerously Iran is one of the major exporters of terror in the world, and often uses surrogates to do so. Its acquisition of nuclear weapons would mean that the same kind of contracting of terror assignments done in the past might be done with far more horrible results.
This book is especially good in detailing the efforts being made all the time by Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. The feeling is that IAEA chairman Mohammed el - Baradei as late as September 2004 was questioning whether Iran had any real nuclear weapons intention would be well advised to read this volume.
Venter is cautious on estimating how far Iran has come. And it seems to me he might have quoted those security experts , a few of whom maintain Iran already has a nuclear capacity.
Venter is however very good in showing how Russia in building Bushehr and in contracting for more reactors is intensifying the Iranian danger. He does talk a bit about the Chinese Iranian connection but it seems to me that there is a lot more to be said about it than there is in this volume. China has become Iran's largest trading partner and its most staunch defender in International forums.
There is another key point. Iran as the major terror state in the world is a key to whether the West will be able to block the radical Islamic Jihad of al-Quaeda, and other terror elements ( Including Iranian backed Hizbollah). In a sense the security and safety of the whole world depend on preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons ( and beyond this in securing regime change in Iran)
Venter's book focuses attention on the major security issue of our time. The background information he supplies on Iranian history, the war with Iraq in the 1980's, the character of the Iranian regime is all useful. But the heart of the book and its major message is that a nuclear Iran would be an unbearable danger to the world.

Patrick Clawson said it well enough, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have uncovered one hidden Iranian nuclear program after another during the last two and a half years. Tehran has now acknowledged having concealed (for eighteen years) a wide range of nuclear activities. Some of them have few peaceful applications but are directly useful for nuclear weapons. This surprising nuclear progress fits a context, for the Iranian regime has also tested long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and its Supreme Leader has proclaimed that Israel is a cancer that should be excised by being wiped off the map.

Iran's nuclear program has attracted much attention from governments and from authors intent on highlighting the Iranian threat. Some books are scaremongering, ill-informed, or both; in contrast, the Timmerman (Countdown to Crisis: The Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran) and Venter books are solid accounts (as the forthcoming Iran's Strategic Weapons Programmes: A Net Assessment from London's International Institute of Strategic Studies also promises to be).

Timmerman writes in a chatty style with much color about the various players, structuring his account around the interaction among the actors. Learning, for example, that German foreign minister Joschka Fischer is married to the daughter of an Iranian dissident illuminates the dynamics of policymaking. Timmerman's account is also extraordinarily well-informed, reflecting his years of association with the policy circles he describes. Unfortunately, he undermines his credibility by accepting too readily the accounts of some Iranian exiles, especially the defector Hamid Reza Zakeri, who tell hair-raising stories about Iranian hidden capabilities. Timmerman is correct that U.S. intelligence agencies have a bias against defectors, preferring assets they themselves cultivated, but Zakeri's accounts are at times suspiciously convenient. That said, Timmerman's Countdown is the book to read for an engaging peak behind the curtain.

Venter's Nuclear Option is the place to turn for technical details and footnoted references. It offers the most systematic exposition to date about Iran's nuclear program and its role in world affairs. After a solid introduction to the history and political culture of the Islamic Republic, with a solid exposition about Iran's support for terrorism, especially by the Revolutionary Guard Corps, Venter carefully walks the reader through Iran's nuclear and missile programs. Along the way, he incorporates essays by leading experts from the Institute for Science and International Security (David Albright and Corey Hinderstein) and the Federation of American Scientists (Charles Vick). As might be expected from a South African author, Venter highlights the parallels between South Africa's successfully concealed nuclear program and what is known about Iran's efforts. Some of the most technical information is in appendices; nevertheless, his account does make for heavy reading.

The reality of the nuclear threat from Iran is gaining prominence in the media with the belligerent utterances of its unstable president. So in a way this book has been prophetic; it remains a must-read, along with Atomic Iran by Jerome Corsi. Venter deals with more than just nukes by investigating the ayatollocracy and its power structures, the country's missile programme, its other dangerous weapons and its terrorist network.

Chapters 1 to 3 provide an overview of the country, the people and recent history like the Iran-Iraq War. There is also a discussion of the differences between the Sunni and Shia varieties of Islam, the role of the 12 imams and the Mahdi, the 12th. This is very relevant in the light of Ahmadinejad's apocalyptical mysticism and provides insight into the regime's ambitions to become a regional super power.

How close Iran is to having a nuclear weapon? Despite Steven Tanner's doubts expressed in the foreword, it might already have one, according to the evidence in chapters 4 to 6, which also look at technical aspects like centrifuges and the enrichment of uranium. The horrifying effect of detonating a nuclear bomb in Manhattan is discussed here.

The co-operation or involvement of primarily South Africa, Russia, China, Pakistan (the Khan network) and North Korea with Iran's nuclear and missile programmes is explored in chapters 9 and 10. But France, Germany and India have also contributed to the current situation. The next chapter details Iran's history of support for terrorists and the brutal oppression of its own people.

Chapter 11 discusses Iran's attempts to obtain other weapons of mass destruction; the next one seeks to determine the mindset of the Pasdaran and the revolutionary guards, the pillars of the regime. It is imperative to halt the country's nuclear programme but the author does not offer any suggestions as to how to go about it. The book concludes with detailed appendices and an index.

Iran has been expert at deceiving the world about the progress and purpose of its nuclear programme for more than two decades. Thanks to Ahmadinejad, it is no secret anymore that Israel is Iran's prime target. This holocaust denier has said so. But of course the regime also wants to dominate the entire region and control its oil reserves. Whatever happens, forget about cheap oil for the foreseeable future. The world is on the brink, as this book made clear months ago.

If you want to understand Iran's true reasons for hating American foreign policy you have to say something at least about CIA's overthraw of the democratically elected Mossadegh and imposition of puppet shah. This book does not say a single word about that coup. But that is the root of American hostage crisis and following US-Iran tensions. Without mentioning that the book look just like another piece of propoganda and drumming for war with Iran. Isn't it enough of that?

Recent events since the book has been released show that Iran wants a bomb but probably is further away then this book suggests. As most of the other reviews have covered the book, well enough as I will just add that I found the large section that the writer discusses on South Africa annoying as I thought it was off topic and yet an interesting one as he states that South Africa in actively spreading helping the spreading of nuclear and advanced conventional weapons. I am not totally convinced on the nuclear weapons. I hope the writer will in future, supply more information on this subject.

OK. I'm not sure where to begin with this book. First of all, it is the most scattered, poorly focused book i have ever read. I am not sure why the chapter on the Iran-Iraq War was in the book, nor am I positive why the author spent so much time discussing South Africa. Many of the chapters did not fit and would have been better off in the appendix, while many of the appendices, such as the one on iran's missiles, would have been much better suited in the main text. Also, while much of the text is interesting, such as the Appendix on Hezbollah, the author spends too much time talking about that topic, and not its relationship with Iran. While this book is supposed to be about Iran's nuclear weapons program, very little time is actually spent discussing it.

The most glaring flaw with this book is that it lacks definitive proof to support many of the claims the author is making. He takes many analytical short cuts, arriving at dubious assessments based on questionable evidence. His chapter on the Iranian involvement in 9/11 is bizarre, and i find it hard to believe that the US, based upon the information provided by the intelligence community, attacked the wrong country, while the author, based on his limited sources, was correct.

The bottom line is that this book is at times sensationalist and before the Iraq war I read scores of books that were similar in their apocolyptic tones.

While much of the information in this book is interesting, such as the bits on Islamic culture, I caution the reader to keep a healthy skepticism in regards to many of the author's claims, and suggest that Venter takes a class on how to organize a paper.

It is an interesting book but provides a very narrow perspective.In fact at the moment only Israel and U.S seem to agreeing on this version of facts(as always).The long term solution does not lie in focussing on 'Iran Only'but to create a nuclear Free zone in Middle East.At the moment there are only two nuclear states in Middle East i.e. Israel with nearly 200 bombs and Iran (yet to produce).Keeping in view the over whelming conventional superiority that Isreal has with nearly no mentionable enemies (Peace with Egypt,Jordan,Iraq gone forever,Syria in a pitiable condition) plus absolute support from U.S it would be wonderful if Israel agrees to Non-Nuclear zone in Middle east.Such a scenario would make it far easier For EU team to bring Iran totally on board, plus would also create a favorable environment for long term peace in middle east.