Full article (AP)

 

WASHINGTON - The National Intelligence Council presented President Bush (news - web sites) this summer with several pessimistic scenarios regarding the security situation in Iraq (news - web sites), including the possibility of a civil war there before the end of 2005.

 

The estimate appears to differ from the public comments of Bush and his senior aides who speak more optimistically about the prospects for a peaceful and free Iraq. "We're making progress on the ground," Bush said at his Texas ranch late last month.

 

"It's beyond pitiful, it's beyond embarrassing, it's now in the zone of dangerous," said Sen. Chuck Hagel R-Neb., referring to figures showing only about 6 percent of the reconstruction money approved by Congress last year has been spent.

 

"Our committee heard blindly optimistic people from the administration prior to the war and people outside the administration ? what I call the 'dancing in the street crowd' ? that we just simply will be greeted with open arms," Lugar R-Ind said. "The nonsense of all of that is apparent. The lack of planning is apparent."

 

 

From the non-partisan report and the pessmistic and angry(?) Republicans in the Foreign Relations Committee this is not looking good. Thoughts?

Two senior Republican senators [Hegel and Luger] rebuked the Bush administration Wednesday over its handling of Iraq, saying its proposal to divert $3.46 billion in reconstruction funds mostly to beef up security showed that U.S. policy is in disarray.

......

 

The proposal to divert the reconstruction aid ''does not add up in my opinion to a pretty picture, to a picture that shows that we're winning,'' Hagel said at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. ``But it does add up to this: an acknowledgment that we are in deep trouble.''

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"This is an extraordinary, ineffective administrative procedure. It is exasperating from anybody looking at this from any vantage point," Luger said.

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ouch.

Comon we need more comments on this.

it is and was a failure...what else can be said?

it is and was a failure...what else can be said?

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By the people who dont think that

well Hegel and Luger aren't exactly party turncoats like Zell, I would think this would raise eyebrows in the GOP.

 

Hegel's been critical of the war in Iraq before though...

Its starting to look like Iraq is a full-blown, absolute disaster. So bad that it could effect the election in Kerry's favor which is a huge push. Its that bad.

It's blatantly obvious that Bush never had a plan for how we would handle the rebuilding of Iraq after the war. I think he truly believed that the Iraqis would greet us with open arms, and allow foreign troops to occupy their country.

 

I can't imagine that the proposed Iraqi elections this fall will happen, considering how easily insurgents have been breaching our/Iraqi security.

It's blatantly obvious that Bush never had a plan for how we would handle the rebuilding of Iraq after the war. I think he truly believed that the Iraqis would greet us with open arms, and allow foreign troops to occupy their country.

 

I can't imagine that the proposed Iraqi elections this fall will happen, considering how easily insurgents have been breaching our/Iraqi security.

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I agree 100%.

Perspective is necessary tonyi. And my perspective is that the US is "occupying" Iraq in the eyes of the Arab world.. and when they don't like people, they blow themselves up until they're all gone.

and when they don't like people, they blow themselves up until they're all gone.

 

 

The founding fathers would be proud.

and when they don't like people, they blow themselves up until they're all gone.

 

 

The founding fathers would be proud.

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LMAO!

 

Gimme a little slack, it was 1:30 AM. :lol