Faulty Intelligence Misled Troops at War's Start -NYT

[Rose Siding]

In early 2003, as the clock ticked down toward the war with Iraq, C.I.A. officials met with senior military commanders at Camp Doha, Kuwait, to discuss their latest ideas for upending Saddam Hussein's government.

Intelligence officials were convinced that American soldiers would be greeted warmly when they pushed into southern Iraq, so a C.I.A. operative suggested sneaking hundreds of small American flags into the country for grateful Iraqis to wave at their liberators. The agency would capture the spectacle on film and beam it throughout the Arab world. It would be the ultimate information operation.

Lt. Gen. David McKiernan, the commander of allied ground forces, quickly objected. To avoid being perceived as an occupying army, American forces had been instructed not to brandish the flag.

The idea was dropped, but the C.I.A.'s optimism remained........

http://nytimes.com/2004/10/20/international/20war.html?hp&ex=1098244800&en=2e5915215b02806a&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[JolietDem]

1. Faulty intelligence led to problems?

Well stop the presses. I think it should have been apparent to anyone that the Bush cartel would have a problem with "intelligence." And this article proved that the decision to go to war was made WAY WAY before March 2003...so that means...GASP! BUSH IS A LIAR! Heavens! I must consult my local news-paper to see if they've learned of this calamity!

[TahitiNut]

13. I think we need a "Central Integrity Agency"

I don't, for even a second, believe the information was missing. Millions of Americans knew absolutely everything that the media now wants to pretend was 'unknown'.

[JolietDem]

2. Faulty intelligence led to problems?

Oops, double posted, sorry

[movonne]

3. What is this all about???

[Rose Siding]

4. Looks like they are bent on nailing the CIA hard

But it's long and I haven't read all of it yet.

[aquart]

5. What a complete, whitewashing load of CRAP.

My god, I'm defending the CIA. This is what BushCo has driven me to.

The CIA's optimism??????????????????? Try Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld and Chalabi. See any CIA people there?

[Mandate My Ass]

6. They turned down all intel except Chalabi's

Oh, and I didn't see Shinseki's name in that putrid whitewash either.

I wasted a precious 1/2 hr of my life reading that apologist garbage.

[gavodotcom]

9. And I bet the CIA will roll over, too.

Somehow methinks the admin just signed the petition to release the CIA 9/11 report, not to Congress, but to the Post.

[steely]

7. How about fabricated intelligence?

or more correctly, ok intel, fabricated analysis, bad decisions, corrupt regime, neocon idealism - yada yada

[Moderator]

8. Kick

:kick:

[illuminaughty]

10. They are all miserable failures

Now that the CIA is the scapegoat for the current admin., I'm having a love/hate relationship with them. But for God's sake, I don't know what part of this whole inept scenario is the worst.

I am a simple dumb ass. I have a dance studio. That's how I make a living. Not exactly a resume for being an intelligence expert. But I did live in the Middle East for awhile and what amazes me is the total lack of understanding by those involved of the Arab culture. And each country is vastly different. As I posted here before, my wonderful Afghani friend and I sat at dinner during the first of March 2003 and said "Civil war. Now way around it" Most DUers have stated this premonition also.

Let's look at some of the miserable failures:
We have a major shortage of Arabic speaking personnel within CIA and DOD. Even though terrorism throughout the late 70's and 80's was carried out by groups from Arabic cultures.

So, we have communicated with bombs in the no-fly zones which hit many civilian targets in the 90's. The sanctions have killed 1 & one half million people. Not exactly building bridges of friendship.

We began the invasion targeting the infrastructure which is criminal according to the Geneva Convention (at least the ones we chose to target)

And the rest of the world is quite aware that if the object was to overthrow Saddam, this could have been done with the right Special Ops, That might have generated some degree of gratitude.

I despise our current Administration. But if tanks came into our streets and bombs had killed members of my family, I don't care what their initial motive was, I would fight them to the death. My grief would far outweigh my gratitude from freeing me from George Bush.

The Pentagon was warned numerous times from some of the most respected scholars that we needed to protect the archaeological treasures of Mesopotamia's culture They ignored this and sent the country into chaos.

So is it ignorance or deliberate attempts to create chaos in order to give excuses to stay and occupy? Whichever, all involved should be held accountable.

[tanyev]

11. O.M.G.

Here I thought that when they were talking about being greeted by grateful Iraqis throwing flowers and such that it was a tactic to "sell" the war to the American people, but that privately they fully appreciated all the dangers and risks.

They absolutely believed their own propaganda. :wow:

[Rose Siding]

12. It sure fits with what Bush told Robertson...

about not incurring any casualties.

[UpInArms]

14. related article: CIA planned to distribute US flags to Iraqis before invas

Report: CIA planned to distribute US flags to Iraqis before invasion

The CIA was so sure Iraqis would warmly welcome American soldiers that it suggested smuggling small US flags into Iraq ahead of the 2003 invasion, in order them to wave at the soldiers.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the CIA was planning to film the event and distribute it throughout the Arab world.

The report said the plan was ruled out by Lieutenant General David McKiernan, the commander of allied ground forces, who was concerned about the Americans being perceived as an occupying army.

...more...

The absolute stupidity of this crap amazes me!

:puke: