CAUGHT ON TAPE: Bush Ignores Intelligence, Misleads Public...

[sabra]

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/09/25/bush-hornets-nest/

CAUGHT ON TAPE: Bush Ignores Intelligence, Misleads Public On Impact of Iraq on Terrorism

In April, President Bush received the National Intelligence Estimate, which “represents a consensus view of the 16 separate spy services inside government.” NIEs are “the most authoritative documents that the intelligence community produces…and are approved by John D. Negroponte, director of national intelligence.”

Here’s what the NIE said, according to the New York Times:

The American invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks…The report “says that the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse,” said one American intelligence official.

On August 21, President Bush held a press conference and told the American people the exact opposite. Watch it:

...

Transcript:

You know, I’ve heard this theory about everything was just fine until we arrived, and kind of “we’re going to stir up the hornet’s nest” theory. It just doesn’t hold water, as far as I’m concerned. The terrorists attacked us and killed 3,000 of our citizens before we started the freedom agenda in the Middle East.

[wicket]

1. K & R

:kick:

[Felinity]

2. Why would Bush believe it?

Same old excuse will surface; it's just one opinion. In his opinion we are safer now (but not safe enough not to be terrified enough to trust him).

He is, needless to say the Decider. B* decides what means what, and whether facts should have an impact on his perspective (they don't). After all, perception is reality, especially in the White House these days.

[Flubadubya]

5. Actually it is six different opinions... all with one voice,

representing the entire Intelligence Community of the United States... rather hard to "blow off", even for the Shrub!

[Felinity]

12. Who would you believe?

The entire intelligence community, or GOD?

Maybe the devil made those agencies say that, or deceived them into their opinion.

:sarcasm:

Let's see what happens.

LET THE SPIN BEGIN!

[Flubadubya]

6. delete - dupe

[JDPriestly]

3. Bush did not ignore it. He simply thought his opinion was correct.

Bush completely trusts his own judgment. Therefore, he generally seems very self-confident, and self-confidence is persuasive. Self-confidence is often confused with expertise. Ignorant people trust and believe Bush because he does not appear to doubt himself. Ignorant people do not have the knowledge or the critical thinking skills to evaluate the facts for themselves. They don't know better. Unfortunately, a large percentage of Americans, including many with college degrees do not have the education to qualify them to evaluate facts about current events for themselves.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

16. Lack of critical thinking skills and constant propaganda

These are the two factors that have brought us to this point. We have a wanna-be dictator in the White House.

As my handle indicates, I think the propaganda is the more important component, because it is difficult to sort out the truth in this environment.

Every bad news day for the repugs (and most good news days) results in a trememdous amount of distortion and outright lies flooding the airwaves, thanks the deterioration of our news media. We don't see the most important news, because broadcast journalism has degenerated into infotainment and in may cases, disinfotainment.

Stories are broadcast based on entertainment value and in many cases, on what the corporate bosses want broadcast.

The only reason I have a clue what's going on is that I read stories on the internet instead of trusting my TV and radio "news" people.

[indepat]

4. So, what else is news?

[madokie]

7. I watched it live and I knew it was a lie then and it is a lie now

the POS can't tell the truth for tripping over his/their lies, its all he knows.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Energy Meetings. Energy Meetings, Energy Meetings.

It's time to wipe that oil off your face and come clean.

[bif]

9. Delusional prick!

[savemefromdumbya]

10. like his Dad's 'read my lips' this will go down in history

[Ezlivin]

11. "...[W]e started the freedom agenda in the Middle East"

Freedom always starts with precision guided munitions?

Yeah, we're freeing them all right: We're freeing them from their earthly lives.

[warrens]

13. I remember that press conference

I wished I could ask a question at the time. "So, punk, what about your Roach Hotel theory? Is that workin' for ya, you miserable lying failure?"

[dogday]

14. We don't need no stinkin NIE

We pick and choose what we want the people to know and make up the rest....

[magellan]

15. So an NIE is "theory", is it?

Good find. If this were Hungary or Mexico, the people would have dismantled the WH to get to the shrub by now.

[BurtWorm]

17. I asked this question last night

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/BurtWorm/783

[NewJeffCT]

18. My guess on how they'll spin it

They'll claim that these are the same intelligence people who said there were WMD in Iraq, so how can we trust them?

Of course, the intel community said no such thing... but, they've put out the BS that "everybody thought Saddam had WMD" enough times that some may buy this line.