(Chief Intel) Official: Iraq war was both intel, policy failure

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Gently admonishing President George W. Bush, the nation's newly retired chief intelligence analyst on Tuesday suggested that the Iraq war was as much the failure of policymakers as it was the flawed intelligence on which they relied.

Bush told ABC News last week his biggest regret was "the intelligence failure in Iraq."

...

Thomas Fingar, until this week the deputy director of national intelligence for analysis, declined to directly address the president's swipe. But he said: "I learned something a long time ago in this town. There are only two possibilities: policy success and intelligence failure."

...

A 2002 intelligence assessment pushed by the administration contended that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had an active nuclear, chemical and biological weapons program. Fingar's office dissented on the nuclear question.

...

Part of the blame goes to time pressure, Fingar said: The Bush administration ordered the report to be produced in less than two weeks. Similar intelligence estimates can take months or years.

"It's my observation that it's very hard to dislodge a mistaken interpretation once it gets into the head of a decisionmaker who has used it in a speech, built it into a policy, conveyed it to colleagues around the world," Fingar said. "That puts to me an awfully high premium on taking the time to get it right."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gSc-uy5PvfeGG-UMkcOVabYZ_3hwD94VGVC00

[Javaman]

1. he forgot the obvious reason...

moron* wanted to feel like he* was a grown up and was able to destroy things like his* daddy.

[xchrom]

2. recommend -- and it still ain't working. nt

[KansDem]

3. Horseshit! They all knew Iraq didn't have WMDs!

We all knew Iraq didn't have WMDS!

But they wanted a "wargasm"

[Festivito]

4. More Bush White House legacy spin.

At least FOR HIS OWN SAKE he doesn't really say anything.

NO MENTION OF CHENEY'S LITTLE GROUP WHICH IS WHERE IT WENT WRONG.

his biggest regret was "the intelligence failure in Iraq." SAYS NOTHING. COULD BE TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING.

AFTER THE BUSH COMMENT AGAINST HIS INTELLIGENCE REPORT:
But he said: "I learned something a long time ago in this town. There are only two possibilities: policy success and intelligence failure."
IN OTHER WORDS, THE POLITICIAN WILL EITHER HAVE SUCCESS OR BLAME THE INTELLIGENCE.

intelligence analysts should work within the system — point out the inaccuracy to the politician and let him correct the record, or not.
NO MENTION OF WHETHER OR NOT HE DID CONTACT THE PRESIDENT AND WHAT THE RESPONSE WAS.

now prominently note when analysts disagree
NO MENTION OF CHENEY'S GROUP.

Legacy spin.

[Winterblues]

5. But "The Office of Special Plans" (OSP) gave us the Intelligence

And that was set up by WHIG (Whitehouse Iraq Group) and why if it was so damned urgent to have Special Intelligence to get their "war" on has it been dissolved?