President Bush, on the quality of the intelligence reports he receives:
Well, let me first say that — I think the intelligence I get is darn good intelligence. And the speeches I have given were backed by good intelligence.
The CIA laid out a — several scenarios that said, life could be lousy, like could be okay, life could be better. And they were just guessing as to what the conditions might be like. The Iraqi citizens are defying the pessimistic predictions.
When did our “darn good intelligence”–errrr–“guessing” turn “pessimistic”?
I think this episode is a big clue to how he probably reacted to the August 6 PDB.
One thing that has struck me about all this “intelligence” mess, is how Bush responds. Anything or anyone who disagrees with him is either pessimistic or aiding and abetting “the terrorists.”
Now that the CIA has come out with its assessment, it is pessimistic, according to Bush. Think about that for a minute. Bush is actually saying that our PRIMARY agency for foreign intelligence is wrong. What everybody and their brother in this country should be asking Bush is, “Where, then, do you get your intelligence?” Followed by “Why do you insist on keeping the CIA ‘as is’ and nominating a man, Goss, who will not make the necessary changes, only parrot your administration’s views?”
Since 9-11, Bush has espoused only one view: “Trust me, I cannot tell you why I’m never wrong, and you cannot trust the State department or the CIA.” Shouldn’t people begin to question this deeply flawed infallibility complex of Bush’s?