by Mark Silva
So, either the intelligence community was getting it wrong for the last few years, when they asserted that Iran was developing a nuclear-weapons program, or they got it wrong now -- when they report that Iran actually abandoned that program in the fall of 2003.
Stung by criticism over the reversal in assessments of Iran's ambitions, the Director of National Intelligence's office today insists that it's getting it right now -- with the deputy there calling the newest National Intelligence Estimate "solid analytic tradecraft.''
Donald Kerr, the principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, whose name also accompanied the release of select portions of the NIE earlier this week revealing that authorities now believe with a high level of confidence that Iran shelved its development of a weapon in the fall of 2003, released another statement today rebutting the flood of criticism that has followed.
The DNI's office had this to say today: "In response to those questioning the analytic work and integrity of the United States Intelligence Community, Dr. Donald Kerr has released the following statement:
"National Intelligence Estimates contain the coordinated judgments of the intelligence community regarding the likely course of future events and the implications for U.S. policy. The task of the intelligence community is to produce objective, ground truth analysis. We feel confident in our analytic tradecraft and resulting analysis in this estimate.”
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Comments
This is serious stuff.
Lessons learned (critique) is worthwhile and necessary, but one has to wonder how the 180 degree flip-flop came about?
Congressional Intelligence Oversight Committees (Ds & Rs alike) will serve us all by better probing the methods and sources of the intel gathered - not just the final product.
Posted by: Doug Zook | December 8, 2007 12:38 PM
I'm not surprised that there are A LOT of patriotic career intelligence and military officers who have become extremely alarmed at the Bush administration's rape of the Constitution and exploitation of their agencies to conduct wars of choice, and other abuses. And they've been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the built-in checks and balances in our system to put a stop to it.
But the checks and balances have failed, in large part because the opposition party has refused to oppose.
So they've taken the initiative themselves. They're tired of leaving it up to the puppet Republicans who consistently do nothing but robo follow W. and Cheney inspite of the will of the American people (Iraq, Iran, healthcare).
Posted by: John E | December 8, 2007 2:10 PM
Holy buzzwords batman, let's try to see George Bush and his brain-dead cohorts spin this one around. Whoops, I forgot, they'll just make stuff up!
Posted by: Robin | December 8, 2007 2:30 PM
What Donald Kerr didn't say is that the NIE report is Intelligence for Dummies.It is generic intelleigence not the current intel that people with Top Secret Clearance like W and Cheney get on a daily basis.
The drivebys don't need to know they are not cleared for top secret neither is the general public.
So don't read too much into this report tradecraft or no tradecraft you can't see what Iran is up to today you don't have clearance.
Listen to President Bush Iran was bad yesterday, it is bad today and Iran will be bad tomorrow as it keeps pursuing the enrichment of uranium while seeking a nuclear weapon. Jerry White, Springfield, IL Mahmood has threatened to destroy Israel and the USA I believe him--until his actions tell me otherwise.
Posted by: Jerry White | December 8, 2007 3:23 PM
Is this the same intellegence community that provided info for the Cheney/Bush Iraq invasion? Or, the same intellegence community that stood silent when Bush gave the bogus 16 words to us in his Jan. 2003 state of the union address bf bombing the hell out of Iraq two months later? Neither community is worth our tax dollars. Can either be trusted today with such serious matters? I don't want more Americans killed, or more money--that taxpayers do not have--spent on a sham in Iran.
Posted by: Vivian | December 8, 2007 3:39 PM
Just amazing how intelligent and infallible the NIE becomes when it fits in with the democrats vision.
Bush lies, General Petraeus lies .. and even the NIE lied when it came to WMDs ... but now ... they are gold star 100% infallible .... until the next time they run afoul of democrat positions
Iran says they have every right to pursue nuclear weapons, and wish to wipe out Israel (who has nuclear weapons) but our "infallible" NIE says they have seen the light ... yeah, right
Posted by: K W Smith | December 8, 2007 3:42 PM
It's simply amazing how fast the Republicans will come to say that our intelligence commuity and the President are lying when their report doesn't justify war with Iran. Republicans support the Adminstration only when they think it may lead to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands more in the middle east. The Republicans want blood, not security.
Posted by: JT | December 8, 2007 6:03 PM
Jerry White,
So where do you get your intel?
AFL-NFL-CIO? OU812?
Posted by: Doug Zook | December 8, 2007 7:36 PM
Intelligence. Funny spelling.
Posted by: Vivian | December 8, 2007 8:15 PM
Wrong before, wrong now, wrong next time, wrong all the time, why have intelligence ?
Something is very wrong about this argument.
Posted by: John Joyce | December 9, 2007 4:36 AM
You would think the administration might use this as an opportunity to modify their position on Iran. Instead in typical reckless fashion, they rattle the sabres, and blow a chance to refine U.S. policy.
Certainly continued presure needs to be applied to Iran to modify their policy as well. No doubt about it.
Still I think this was another squandered chance to move diplomacy forward.
These are some scary people we have in the Whitehouse. Corrupt and incompetent. Lord help us.
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | December 9, 2007 9:48 AM
Of course it is.
Bush has used and abused the intelligence community as no other President.
He got them to manufacture false claims about Iraq.
He treated the former Director of CIA terribly, then pinned some cheap medal on him for retiring.
And Bush got caught using more fraudulent evidence by those in his own party.
That's why he betrayed the CIA agent wife of a distinguished and honest diplomat.
The intelligence community is sick of this disgusting treatment, so they've released the truth.
And don't forget, our best minds have called Iraq the greatest strategic blunder of our time.
And the idiot-child in the White House was clearly getting ready to attack Iran, another strategic blunder.
Not hard to see why they'd want to embarrass him.
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | December 9, 2007 10:48 AM