Eric,

Maybe you missed the part of David Kay’s interview with I think it was Tom Brokaw when he stated that if anyone was abused by the intelligence information, it was the President.  George Tenet is saying that the information he gave the President was the best they had at the time and that the President was insistent that he give him the information straight. 

I don’t think it’s as simple as you’re making it out to be.  I think if the president had bent the information to suit his purposes you would have people within the CIA who gather the information speaking out.  It would be easy for you to counter with a remark about how an individual within the CIA would be under pressure to go along with what the administration was saying but let me ask you…would you if you were in their shoes?  I hope not.  Yes, the CIA employs people from every political persuasion.  Remember, George Tenet is a Clinton appointee to begin with so it can’t be said that he was handpicked by Bush to carry his water. 

There’s no question that Bush wanted Saddam out.  The question is, did he trump up intelligence information to make a case for war?  I don’t believe he did.  I think what he did was the only responsible thing he could have done based upon the information he had to work with.  Anything less would have been irresponsible.  David Kay said much the same.

Kevin g