Iraq: A Sweeping New Report

[Mark E. Smith]

Newsweek

Sept. 11, 2006 issue - Bush administration policymakers and their congressional backers may get some
unwelcome news from a new analysis on Iraq that the office of intelligence czar John Negroponte will soon
produce. In late July, leading Senate Democrats asked Negroponte to come up with a new Iraq National
Intelligence Estimate, or NIE, a secret study that is supposed top reflect the views of all 16 U.S. intel
agencies. The most recent Iraq NIE, produced two years ago, was generally pessimistic about the future
of the country. In a letter to Negroponte, the Senate Dems asked for U.S. analysts best assessment on a
sheaf of awkward issues, including: Is Iraq in a civil war or close to it? How effective are new Iraqi security
forces? Is the Iraqi government stable?

The contents of the report may have beem foreshadowed in a recent series of closed-door briefings given
to Congress by the Defense Intelligence Agency. The Pentagon's intelligence arm painted a scenario in
which Iraq could dissolve into civil war if Iraqi security forces don't soon get their act together. One official
familiar with the briefing because of the sensitive subject matter, said that the picture it painted was dire,
although another official - who requested anonymity for the same reason - insisted it was not entirely
despairing, since Iraqi security forces were beginning to improve. Though NIEs are normally classified,
Dems are already pressing the administration to make public a summary of the upcoming study. The
officials said intel agencies are under some pressure to produce the new report before the November mid-
term elections.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14638232/site/newsweek/

[maddezmom]

1. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2491288