Submitted by Lee W. Dodson, Feb 7, 2008 16:51

The intelligence network did itself a disservice when it issued the NIE.

First, no one in his right mind believed it, liberals included. It was seized upon for short term political gain by the establishment left, and they were exposed for the opportunists they were. The right cowered and backed off honest opinions, exposing themselves as media-phobes.

Second, the intelligence community demonstrated its muddied thinking. There is no clear goal for the estimate, ergo, the language meanders the political landscape without a basis on which to lay its findings.

Third, the intelligence community let the enemy see just how divided it is against itself.

These people seem far more worried about keeping their jobs, make that their bailiwicks of power, than they are about ferreting out truth in a foggy world of lies, misdirection, and obfuscation.

I do not believe these are dishonorable people, but I do believe that they have let the years of ocean wide safety blind them to the ever present danger that exists on a shrinking planet.

Threat is no longer measured in miles, it is measured in minutes, maybe seconds.

These people are our watchmen on the walls. If their eyes are poring over political talking points, they cannot be scanning the horizon for threats. If they busily indulge in bridge building, they cannot be aware that the enemy can use that same bridge to attack.

Why anyone would reveal what this report states is beyond me. The old adage about never telling anyone everything you know applies here. Why should our enemy know everything he knows and everything we know?

McConnell should disavow the whole report on network news, then everybody else should shut up, be thought a fool, rather than opening up and removing all doubt.

At least that's what we used to say in Texas.

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