Friday, April 4, 2008

Iraq NIE Released, Countdown Begins For Unclass Version (NYT)

The New York Times is reporting this morning that the latest National Intelligence Estimate on the situation in Iraq has been released. The report also quotes anonymous sources (of course) concerning the content: "The new intelligence estimate cites slow but steady progress by Iraqi politicians on forging alliances between Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq" and "several factors that could reverse these trends: including a campaign of violence by Shiite splinter groups and the possibility that the government would not carry out a series of reconciliation laws Iraq’s Parliament passed recently."

The Times report goes on to state that Senators Carl Levin and Edward Kennedy have already asked for an unclassified version of the NIE, stating, “Without a current unclassified assessment of the situation in Iraq, Congress and the American people will not have the essential information needed for an informed public debate" (Note: Press release confirming letter is here). "Authorized leak" versus "unclassified version" is a distinction without a difference. I say there will be an unclass version on the streets before the Pennsylvania primary. Any takers?

3 comments:

Jeff said...

Kris, if there's any way to spin this against our efforts in Iraq, you can count on it. If it supports more than harms, then count on only those segments or snippets that most alarm to make their way to the streets. (Really goes without saying.)

Anonymous said...

Just watch Wikileaks---- We will get the Secret version before the unclass drops...

:)

Craig

Anonymous said...

My vote is for FAS.

And Jeff, there's lots of spinning going on by both sides. Anyone who tries to spin an unclass version of an NIE with no access to the full report or the source evidence is constructing their argument on the shallowest of grounds.