From McClatchy's, here
"...The long-delayed report [NIE] is a stunning reversal of the U.S. intelligence community's previous assessment that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, and it could slow the Bush administration's drive to tighten United Nations sanctions on Tehran for defying U.N. orders to suspend its uranium enrichment program..."
"...The long-delayed report [NIE] is a stunning reversal of the U.S. intelligence community's previous assessment that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, and it could slow the Bush administration's drive to tighten United Nations sanctions on Tehran for defying U.N. orders to suspend its uranium enrichment program..."
And Kevin Drum's 'take' on the timing here:
"...All I've got is speculation on the second question, but here it is: it was congressional pressure. Democratic members of the various intelligence committees saw the NIE (or a summary or a verbal report or something) and went ballistic. Footnotes and dissents are one thing, but withholding a report whose primary conclusion is 180 degrees contrary to years of administration innuendo produced a rebellion. Somebody who got briefed must has threatened something pretty serious if the NIE didn't see the light of day.
Like I said, just a guess. But who else has the clout to force Bush, Cheney, and McConnell to change course?
By the way, Stephen Hadley will be on TV furiously providing the Bush administration's spin on all this at 3:15 Eastern time. Should be good for some laughs."
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