Anatomy of a Turnabout

"The Bush administration decided to release new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) extracts reporting that Iran terminated its nuclear weapons program in 2003 at least in part because some officials feared leaks and accusations of a cover-up if the material were kept secret, according to current and former U.S. intelligence officials."

Debunking Iran's Nuclear Program: Another 'Intelligence Failure' -- On the Part of the Press?

"Press reports so far have suggested that the belated release of the National Intelligence Estimate yesterday throwing cold water on oft-repeated claims of a rampant Iranian nuclear weapons program has deeply embarrassed, or at least chastened, public officials and policymakers who have promoted this line for years. Gaining little attention so far: Many in the media have made these same claims, often extravagantly, which promoted (deliberately or not) the tubthumping for striking Iran."

It Turns Out Ahmadinejad Was the Truthful One

President Bush meets with reporters at Tuesday’s White House press briefing. - AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

"Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who took office as Iran’s president in August of 2005, two years after Iran’s nuclear weapons program ended, has now been vindicated in his claims that Iran has abandoned the weaponization program. Not so Bush, who has summarily dismissed the intelligence community’s findings and, using his favorite tactic in dealing with debacles, is sticking to his original story."

Analyst: New NIE shows US intelligence has 'rediscovered its spine'

"Appearing on the BBC World news program, Joseph Cirincione, the director of nuclear policy at the Center for American Progress, said that the US military and intelligence agencies were reasserting themselves as President Bush enters the final year of his administration. Cirincione agreed with the BBC host that intelligence had "rediscovered its spine.""

Bolton Calls For Congressional Witch-Hunt Into Anti-Bush ‘People In The Intelligence Community’

"Yesterday’s National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) concluded that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, pouring cold water on neoconservative calls for bombing Iran. Like his ideological kin Norman Podhoretz, former U.N. ambassador and Iran war hawk John Bolton has been attempting to slander the U.S. intelligence community’s collective judgments."

Podhoretz’s ‘Dark Suspicion’: Intel Community Trying To Sabotage Bush With NIE

"Yesterday’s NIE proved Podhoretz’s claims were false. Rather than modify his views on Iran, Podhoretz — who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 — aired a nasty conspiracy theory yesterday, attacking the authors of the NIE and accusing the intelligence community of deliberately “leaking material calculated to undermine George W. Bush.”

You gotta give even the devil his due ~ The Zio-cons, rather than admit that they just may have been wrong about Iran, is suggesting that the entire intelligence community is conspiring against Bush to head off a war with Iran. Now, that takes chutzpa.

Are they suggesting that Bush fire the intelligence community and rely solely on them for information?

Biden: Bush compulsive liar

"Are you telling me a president that's briefed every single morning, who's fixated on Iran, is not told back in August that the tentative conclusion of 16 intelligence agencies in the US government said they had abandoned their effort for a nuclear weapon in '03?" the Delaware senator said. "You cannot trust this president. He is not trustworthy," he added.

Rice won't respond directly to Ahmadinejad

"I am not going to comment on that comment except to say that what the National Intelligence Estimate shows, and the transparency with which the administration released it, is what it means to live in a democracy and I hope one day that the people of Iran will live in a democracy too," she said.

There's political spin and then there's neo-conic mombo-jumbo. This is neo-conic mombo-jumbo at it's best. Condi actually said this with a straight face ~ like Bush and the gang have been absolutely "transparent" with the American people. This NIE is actually a rebellion by the intelligence community. They are simply putting the powers that be on notice that this time around they will not be the fall-guys for the mis-adventures of Bush and the Zio-cons.

Hersh: Bush Told Olmert Of NIE Two Days Before President Was Allegedly First Briefed On It

"...Seymour Hersh, The New Yorker’s Pulitzer-Prize winning investigative journalist, revealed that Bush actually knew about the NIE at least two days earlier and had a “private discussion” about it with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert before the Middle East peace summit in Annapolis, MD, last week."

Transcript:

BLITZER: But you were suggesting that there was a real run-up to war developing within the administration, even as there were some in the administration — the intelligence community — suggesting, Hey, hold off. Maybe they did suspend or freeze their nuclear weapons program.

HERSH: Well, of course. I think it’s still not over.

BLITZER: Because I want to press you on this. Does that mean, now that this new NIE has been released publicly, it is over, the run-up to a potential military confrontation with Iran?

HERSH: Well, there’s always Israel.

BLITZER: What’s that mean?

HERSH: Well, it means that Israel can always decide to take military action, or with us covertly. Israel objects to this report. I’m told that Olmert had a private discussion with Bush about it during Annapolis — before Annapolis. Bush briefed him about it. The Israelis were very upset about the report. They think we’re naive, they don’t think we get it right. And so they have a different point of view.

No Iran Attack? Don't be so sure...

"The release of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program has everyone breathing a sigh of relief. According to our best intelligence, the Iranians stopped their weapons program in 2003. The liberal pundits and the more reasonable Sullivanesque conservatives are shouting "Hallelujah!" War has been averted! My response: not so fast."

Israel snubs US report on Iran

"While the U.S. intelligence services should be given credit for trying to correct their mistake, they failed to explain how they reached their new conclusions regarding Iran's nuclear program."

Israel doesn't want to accept the NIE findings regarding Iran's nuclear energy program ~ imagine my complete lack of surprise....

A Miracle: Honest Intel On Iran Nukes

"For those who have doubts about miracles, a double one occurred today. An honest National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran's nuclear program has been issued, and its "Key Judgments" were made public."