Sunday, August 24, 2008
Publicity photos as an important source of intelligence
Arms Control Wonk (a group blog that with some very serious expertise) has an interesting post about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's habit of having his picture taken in front of Iran's latest scientific accomplishment. Apparently, these publicity photos actually convey useful information about the extent of Iran's weapons development:
President Ahmadinejad of Iran has a much appreciated habit of going to his country’s most advanced centers of technology and having his picture taken in front of the most interesting items there. Not only does this serve to advertize the advances Iran is making in a variety of technological fields (his visit to the Natanz enrichment facility comes to mind), but it provides a wonderful opportunity to analyze just how far Iran has developed!
Of course, in addition to pointing out to Iran that President Ahmadinejad might want stand in front of less cutting edge stuff, ACW provides Iran with all sorts of presumably useful feedback on its missile design, including suggestions for improvements. We all would be a bit better off, perhaps, if we were not so eager to reveal how smart we are.
3 Comments:
By 
, at
Sun Aug 24, 06:53:00 PM:
How frustrating. It reminds me of the professor that could tell the intelligence guys where OBL based on his photos in the mountains. Then he told a reporter- no more photos in mountains.
You would think that "Arms Control Wonks" would know better.
By 
Charles Edward Frith, at
Sun Aug 24, 09:18:00 PM:
If there was more transparency in the world there'd be less need for arms. Or war for that matter.
There was no transparency in Iraq and still an invasion was implemented thus proving that Arms Control Wonk is doing a healthy job.
By Dawnfire82, at
Sun Aug 24, 11:21:00 PM:
"If there was more transparency in the world there'd be less need for arms. Or war for that matter."
The only way I can make that work logically is by applying John Mearsheimer's (you know, the 'Jews control the US' guy) thesis from 'The Tragedy of Great Power Politics.'
And then it still only applies to rational actors interested only in their own defense, not to expansionist revolutionary aggressors.
Perhaps you would like to use this opportunity to advance the study of international relations and enlighten us all?
