...Well did they? Read on...
Somehow this must have slipped past everyone yesterday. But apparently, in James Risen's new book (Risen is of course, the lead reporter in the NSA Wiretap Scandal story at NYT), he writes that the CIA actually gave Iran plans to build nuclear bombs. LA Times:
WASHINGTON -- In a clumsy effort to sabotage Iran's nuclear program, the CIA in 2004 intentionally handed Tehran some top-secret bomb designs laced with a hidden flaw that U.S. officials hoped would doom any weapon made from them, according to a new book about the U.S. intelligence agency.
But the Iranians were tipped to the scheme by the Russian defector hired by the CIA to deliver the plans and may have gleaned scientific information useful for designing a bomb, writes New York Times reporter James Risen in "State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration."
The LA Times article requires registration to read, but you can check out the archived version at
Information Clearing House.
Incidentally, AlterNet
reports that there's scoops a plenty all over Risen's new book.
Update: The Guardian has published a section of Risen's new book, which relates to this story
here.
Originally reported at The Daily Background.