Iran’s Nuclear Program

The open-source data focuses on Iran and its nuclear weapons. The issue has been a source of concern for most nations in the world due to the country’s extremist leaders and its ties to Al-Qaeda. Open-source data is defined as data or information that is available to everyone to use and republish as they wish without fear of restriction. However, for open-source data to be relevant, it has to be valid and reliable for use. Intelligence gathering is a type of research; therefore, the issue of validity and reliability is particularly sensitive (Winter 2012). Validity refers to the accuracy of stated information while reliability refers to the degree to which different people view the stipulated information in the same way.

When comparing different open sources of data, it is crucial to have similarity of the information provided. This goes a long way in indicating the accuracy of the data. The sources given discuss the presence of nuclear weapons in the country. The real question that most countries pose to the United Nations and the leaders of Iran is whether there are nuclear weapon manufacturing plants within the country. Some sources indicate that the country is on a mission to completely destroy the production sites, while others claim that nuclear weapons are actively being assembled in Iran (Cirincione 2006, 77-82). However, there is more reason to believe that Iran is involved in the manufacture since the sources seeking to dispute this are not precise. For instance, the satellite pictures given have no date, and it is difficult to confirm if they represent actually, what they are theoretically.

They particularly name China and Russia as some of the countries catalyzing this process. The sources indicate that China is an active supplier of uranium technology and laser techniques while Russia is an unofficial trading partner to Iran. Based on this information, it is correct to argue that information from these sources is accurate (Cohen, James, Owen 2013). This is because one of the characteristics of accurate data is specification or detail. By naming specific countries, and avoiding generalization, the authors are deemed to have conducted proper research, making the data accurate.

Another significant aspect highlighted by the open sources is the use of sanctions by the United States and other countries, in a bid to pressurize Iran to stop developing nuclear weapons (Janert, 2010). This information is valid because it can be confirmed and it is reliable since all sources seem to concur on the effectiveness of sanctions. Reference to the law and the powers of the President when it comes to the imposition of sanctions supports the high quality of data given. The effectiveness of sanctions has further been indicated by the attempt by some nations convincing others to impose sanctions on Iran. If Turkey were to impose sanctions on Iran, the country would incur numerous problems since Turkey is its closest neighbor and gateway to connect with other countries (Patrikarakos, 2012). This fact has been highlighted in one of the sources and goes to show how precise the information given is.

In conclusion, open-source data is faced with particular challenges, such as accuracy, relevance, and reliability. These sources differ in content, but generally give a correct overview of the Iran situation and measures governments are taking to contain the situation. The precision of information is part of the reason why these sources provide quality data, which may be used to report on the state of Iran’s nuclear weapons.

Bibliography

Cirincione, Joseph. 2006. "Controlling Iran's Nuclear Program." Issues in Science and  Technology 22 (3): 75-82.  http://search.proquest.com/docview/195928742?accountid=8289. 

Cohen, Ariel, James Philips & Owen Graham. 2011. Iran’s Energy Sector: A Target Vulnerable to Sanctions. (Accessed July 17, 2013). http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/02/irans-energy-sector-a-target- vulnerable-to- sanctions 

Janert, Philipp. Data Analysis with Open Source Tools. Sebastopol: O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2010. 

Patrikarakos, David. Nuclear Iran the birth of an atomic state. London: I.B. Tauris, 2012. 

Winter, Michael. 2012. AP: Iran may be cleaning up nuclear traces at military site. (Accessed  July 17, 2013). http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/03/ap- iran-tries-to-clean-up-radioactivity-at-military-site/1#.UMH3fXfhd8E