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I don't feel offended. I just think Hersh is a sharp guy who has been around for a long time and knows when he is being manipulated (carrying water), what is an intended leak and what is information that isn't intended for public consumption.
In this case I think the idea his information is a leak, is in fact administration spin to defuse a potential uproar.
Iran has been on the short list of evil ever since Bush took office. What's new here is the nuke angle and the timing to correspond to the move to UN security council deliberation. If the security council members think the US is planning an attack, then they will see their respective positions differently on any US proposal against Iran.
My guess is the US is pushing for some form of sanctions that will be completely unacceptible to Iran. As far as I know Iran hasn't done anything against the non-proliferation treaty. They have simply ignored the IAEA---which is a much more minor offense than a treaty violation. They are allowed to develop nuclear fuel under the treaty and that is what they claim to be doing.
CG