October 26, 2008, 11:29 AM (GMT+02:00)

US intelligence’s amended estimate, that Iran will be ready to build its first bomb just one month after the next US president is sworn in, is disclosed by DEBKAfile’s Washington sources as having been relayed as a guideline to the Middle East teams of both presidential candidates, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama.

The information prompted the assertion by Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden in Seattle Sunday, Oct. 19: “It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy.”

McCain retorted Tuesday, Oct. 21: “America does not need a president that needs to be tested. I’ve been tested. I was aboard the Enterprise off the coast of Cuba. I’ve been there.”)

DEBKAfile’s military sources cite the new US timeline: By late January, 2009, Iran will have accumulated enough low-grade enriched uranium (up to 5%) for its “break-out” to weapons grade (90%) material within a short time. For this, the Iranians have achieved the necessary technology. In February, they can move on to start building their first nuclear bomb.

US intelligence believes Tehran has the personnel, plans and diagrams for a bomb and has been running experiments to this end for the past two years. The UN International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna last week asked Tehran to clarify recent complex experiments they conducted in detonating nuclear materials for a weapon, but received no answer.

The same US evaluation adds that the Iranian leadership is holding off its go-ahead to start building the bomb until the last minute so as to ward off international pressure to stop at the red line.

This development together with the galloping global economic crisis will force the incoming US president to go straight into decision-making without pause on Day One in the Oval Office. He will have to determine which urgent measures can serve best for keeping a nuclear bomb out of the Islamic republic’s hands – diplomatic or military – and how to proceed if those measures fail.

His knowledge of the challenge colored Sen. Biden’s additional words in Seattle: “Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”

Israel’s political and military leaders also face a tough dilemma that can no longer be put off of whether to strike Iran’s nuclear installations militarily in the next three months between US presidencies before the last window closes, or take a chance on coordination with the next president.

Waiting for the “international community” to do the job of stopping Iran, as urged by governments headed by Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert – and strongly advocated Tzipi Livni, foreign minister and would-be prime minister – has been a washout. Iran stands defiantly on the threshold of a nuclear weapon.

Furthermore, your inference to Obama not being the (W) right for America is sickening. There are many reasons why Obama is RIGHT for America. John McCain’s policies are substantially less favorable by scholars who know much more about what Americans need than YOU do. Americans don’t want or need to be taxed on their Health Care plans. We need education reformation, development for cleaner and more efficient greener energy. John McCain is an airhead when it comes to decision making, look who he chose to be his Vice Presidential Nominee should something happens to him! She thought Katic Couric’s interview was a set-up to exploit her, truth be told the airhead did a great job of exploiting herself.
John McCain cares little about fixing America’s problems, he devotes all of his time talking about Barack Obama. Why doesn’t he realize that this is a serious job, after he takes his oath and is sworn in as president of the United States of America he is going to run back to the White House shut the doors and get to work? This is not a smooth sailing job and John McCain hasn’t prepared to be the President of this Great Nation, if America hires John McCain to be the president of America we will be in a depression greater than the Great Depression.

You need to grow up and realize that this nonesense about Rev. Wright is over. Barack Obama is the right candidate for the JOB, VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 2008.