Sept. 29, 2006
 
COMMENTARY: National Intelligence Estimate? So What?
 
By Jim Kouri
Special to Huntington News Network
 
Sometimes I envy liberal Democrats. Unlike conservatives, they are permitted to have it both ways. Who permits them to have such a political advantage? Those sanctimonious geniuses working in the mainstream news media.
 
Why do I say that? Well, there are so many cases it's hard to begin. Take the flap over the recently leaked National Intelligence Estimate, a document once treated as top secret until it was discovered by certain traitors within the intelligence community that it's now patriotic in this topsy-turvy country to betray and smear your own country. If a document is leaked that helps conservatives, its a security leak and must be punished. If it hurts conservatives, then the leaker is a "whistleblower" and a hero.
 
Information contained in the April 2006 NIE revealed that some US intelligence operatives believed -- based on their analysis -- that the war in Iraq actually created an environment in the Middle East that encouraged more Muslims to become Jihadists. It's something that's been claimed by liberals since 2004, but now -- Praise the Lord! -- they have proof positive that they were right. Bush is creating more terrorists which means we're less safe.
 
Of course, the media helps them by disclosing only the parts of the NIE that can be used to undermine the Commander-in-Chief.
 
So how are the liberals having it both ways? Simple. When previous National Security Estimates claimed that Saddam indeed had weapons of mass destruction, but they were either destroyed, buried in the desert, or shipped to either Syria or Iran, those counter-terrorism warriors in the Democrat Party told the world that the Bush Administration exerted pressure on the intelligence analysts to "tweak" the information contained in their reports. Some, such as Senator Ted Kennedy, went as far as alleging the Bushies forced the intelligence community to submit deceptive NIEs. They insinuated that the NIE was useless in preparing our antiterrorism strategy.
 
But now, since the NIE -- or the leaked portion -- can be used during the election season to hurt the pro-war conservatives, suddenly the NIE is infallible and a document that's sacrosanct. It went from being useless as an empty toilet paper dispenser to being a document deserving of widespread promulgation.
 
The American people, for the most part, never even heard of the National Intelligence Estimate until the Democrats started harping about the White House's war effort being riddled with deception and incompetence. The 9/11 Commission made this top-secret report a household name. The New York Times frequently working as the Jihadist Intelligence Agency or JIA, garners leaks from treasonous political hacks working at CIA, NSA and other intelligence agencies and tells the world about information contained in secret communications. The only prerequisite is that the information hurts the Commander in Chief and the GOP.
 
The NIE is really a consensus report based on the opinions and educated guesses of analysts from 16 intelligence agencies. One can be sure that previous NIEs never tipped off our leaders that the terrorists were planning to fly commercial airplanes into buildings. Its goal of providing national security failed miserably. Yet, today we have people holding up statements and making claims based on a report that in the past failed to help in protecting the United States and its citizens.
 
According to a news story by Sher Zieve of The Conservative Voice, the New York Times reported:”While the spread of self-described Jihadists is hard to measure," the report says, the terrorists “are increasing in both number and geographic dispersion.”
 
However, other portions of the now released NIE report found: ”Greater pluralism and more responsive political systems in Muslim majority nations would alleviate some of the grievances Jihadists exploit. Over time, such progress, together with sustained, multifaceted programs targeting the vulnerabilities of the Jihadist movement and continued pressure on Al-Qaeda, could erode support for the Jihadists.
 
”Should Jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight.
 
The Jihadists’ greatest vulnerability is that their ultimate political solution -- an ultraconservative interpretation of Sharia -based governance spanning the Muslim world -- is unpopular with the vast majority of Muslims. Exposing the religious and political straitjacket that is implied by the Jihadists’ propaganda would help to divide them from the audiences they seek to persuade.”
 
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow advised reporters and critics during his Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2006 press conference that the portions of the report not released are those sections that would place overseas US intelligence agents in jeopardy.
 
But the Democrats don't care about winning wars, protecting Americans, and maintaining the integrity of our intelligence gathering and analysis. They care about being elected and taking back the US government as if it rightfully belongs to them.
 
Is the war in Iraq encouraging Muslims to become radicalized and take up arms against the United States? Maybe. But history shows that Jihadists didn't need much of an excuse to kill, butcher, and destroy. For the most part, these Islamic Fascists use various rationales for their horrible violence. And they know the United States has a dumb news media and sleazy politicians to help them rationalize their hatred and violence towards the infidels.
 
The newly declassified and released NIE report may be viewed at:
 
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/15617157.htm