Almost as adorable as Erin Burnett.
Thank goodness for this man. Here’s his opening.
Rarely has a document from the supposedly hidden world of intelligence had such an impact as the National Intelligence Estimate released this week. Rarely has an administration been so unprepared for such an event. And rarely have vehement critics of the “intelligence community” on issues such as Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction reversed themselves so quickly.
All this shows that we not only have a problem interpreting what the mullahs in Tehran are up to, but also a more fundamental problem: Too much of the intelligence community is engaging in policy formulation rather than “intelligence” analysis, and too many in Congress and the media are happy about it. President Bush may not be able to repair his Iran policy (which was not rigorous enough to begin with) in his last year, but he would leave a lasting legacy by returning the intelligence world to its proper function.
Consider these flaws in the NIE’s “key judgments,” which were made public even though approximately 140 pages of analysis, and reams of underlying intelligence, remain classified…
As usual, please do read the whole thing.
Excellent commentary by Bolton! Thank you, Tammy, for posting that. When I first heard the news I was immediately skeptical and shared the President’s continued concern over Iran. Unless the Iranians did a “memory wipe” of every individual involved and burned all the paperwork associated with it, just because they allegedly “abandoned” the program 4 years ago, doesn’t mean they cannot take it up again. The threat may not be as imminent perhaps, but it is still there.
He’s such a clear, wonderful writer and thinker. His “Potemkin Village” analogy seems extremely apt.
And there is something cute and cuddly about him. Maybe it’s that “Captain Kangaroo” moustache he’s got going on.
I knew the Bush Administration had gone “Potomac ” when they did not push hard enough for Bolton to be confirmed as U.N. Ambassador. I hope that in a Rudy admniistartion he would be Sec. of State instead of Clueless Condi Rice.
All I can say is the Iranians are buying time. They just scored a major coup. I do not know what it will take for people to realize this country, since 1979(Thank you Carter) has been the primary sponser of terrorism. Once this immoral, depraved, beastily nation gets the bomb, I guarantee you they will use it.
The fact the anyone can be so foolish as to believe this report; on the top of the Bush administrations tepid response is telling. We are in big trouble. I value my life and my family. I cringed to think what could happen if we continue to act timid and without moral certainty. It’s like the 1930′s a over again. Bolton is the only one who understands this
I agree with your comments about John Bolton. He is such a breath of fresh air in our world of diplomats.