Bush Still Not Exonerated

Steve Chapman has a fine column ("Shifting the blame for the debacle in the Iraq war"; registration required--sorry, as always) on the Senate Intelligence Committee's recently released report on the intelligence used by the Bush Administration as justification for invading Iraq. Conservatives, in particular their leading cheerleader The Wall Street Journal ("A few apologies would seem to be in order"), are appallingly claiming that the report somehow exonerates Bush & Company from any fault.

The committee's report does no such thing. Yes, the CIA's intelligence was lousy. But what is most important is how the administration used this information. It's clear that Bush et al cherry-picked the data that supported their preconceptions while ignoring the rest, and where not even faulty intelligence could be found to support their position, they indulged in gross exaggeration to justify their actions. As Chapman points out, Democratic Senators Rockefeller, Levin and Durbin added this dissenting statement:

"Administration officials undertook a relentless public campaign which repeatedly characterized the Iraq weapons of mass destruction program in more ominous and threatening terms than the intelligence community analysis substantiated. Similarly, public statements of senior officials on Iraqi links to terrorism generally and Al Qaeda specifically were often based on a selective release of intelligence information that implied a cooperative, operational relationship that the intelligence community did not believe existed."

Chapman also cites Kenneth Pollack's recent article in The Atlantic which reported repeated complaints from the intelligence community that "administration officials reacted strongly, negatively and aggressively when presented with information or analysis that contradicted what they believed about Iraq."

But the most important thing to remember about the committee's report is that it represents only half of its investigation, and is limited to evaluation of the quality of intelligence provided. The second half is to be devoted to an assessment of exactly how the Bush Administration used that information.

Not surprisingly, Senate Republicans have been sandbagging that critical portion of the committee's investigation, more than likely until after the November election. The conservatives are hoping any further damning evidence of the administration's deceptions aren't revealed until after Bush has been safely returned to office.

Though we probably can't do much about expediting the remainder of the committee's investigation, there's always the next best thing: Vote Kerry.