New satellite imagery taken in the wake of the U.S. attack on Iranian nuclear facilities seems to prove that Donald Trump is lying yet again when he claims American attacks on the sites “obliterated” them and eliminated the chances of the Iranians building a bomb.
“The images indicated damage on the ground – including new craters, holes on mountain ridges and collapsed tunnels – but did not provide definitive proof the heavily fortified underground facilities were breached,” according to The Independent.
Even though Trump likely has access to the same (or better) satellite photos of the suspected Iranian sites, he boasted online this morning that the United States had obliterated all of them.
As with nearly everything Trump claims, reality easily disproves his braggadocio and swagger.
“Iran is believed to have filled the tunnels at its nuclear sites ahead of the US strikes, which would blunt the effect of the American operation on Sunday.”
“An analysis of satellite images by the Institute for Science and International Security indicated that tunnels at the Isfahan site were likely filled ahead of the attack.”
Iran also seems to have moved nearly all of its bomb-grade fissile material long before the U.S. attack, meaning that it probably still possesses more than enough radioactive uranium to build several warheads.
“Several experts also cautioned that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of Fordow before the strike. This may be hidden in positions unknown to Israel, the US and UN nuclear inspectors.”
“A senior Iranian source told Reuters most of the near weapons-grade 60% highly enriched uranium had been moved to an undisclosed location prior to the attack.”
So what exactly was accomplished with the Saturday evening attack on Iran? Little more than a public relations ploy that is quickly turning into a potential military quagmire for Trump and the United States.
No matter how Trump tries to spin his latest failure, he has potentially lit the fuse for a conflict that could entangle the U.S. for decades to come, and he has no one to blame but himself.
