Intelligence failure

Intelligence and Bush mesh as well as a diet and Kirstie Alley. Over the past few months, the Democrats have stepped up their attacks on the president’s lack of candor in relation to the intelligence he received before the war and the problems arising now in the war with Iraq.

Former Sen. John Edwards, the Democrats’ 2004 vice-presidential candidate said in a Nov. 14 Washington Post Op-Ed, “I was wrong… The argument for going to war with Iraq was based on intelligence that we now know was inaccurate. The information the American people were hearing from the president and that I was being given by our intelligence community wasn’t the whole story.”

“An intelligent president would have thought rationally before turning to war. But you can’t buy intelligence, only high-powered weapons.”

On Sunday evening’s “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer” on CNN, meanwhile, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley was busy defending the decision to go to war.

“We need to put this debate behind us,” Hadley said. “It’s unfair to the country. It’s unfair to the men and women in uniform risking their lives to make this country safe.”

Are you kidding me? What’s unfair is the fact that more than two and a half years ago, General Dubya and company decided to go into Iraq with guns a-blazing. The outcome thus far is more than 2,000 American soldiers dead, politicians asking new questions and the president’s approval rating going in a downward spiral.

President Bush’s decision to go to war put not only American men and women at risk but Iraqi civilians as well. Hadley said the intelligence Bush used for his arguments was roughly the same intelligence that the Clinton administration used to act militarily against Iraq in 1998. Well, stupid is as stupid does. That’s like saying he did it so that makes it okay. What are we, in third grade here?

What the Bush administration wants us to do is to push dirt underneath the rug. I’m sorry, but the American people can’t do that anymore; it’s time to shake out the rug. Many people believe that Bush, Jr. was trying to settle an old score with good ol’ Saddam that Bush, Sr. couldn’t finish. After Sept. 11, Bush finally had the reason to go to war with his family’s old archenemy.

So excuse me, Mr. Hadley, exactly why is it unfair for Democrats to keep on debating Bush’s decision? What’s unfair is one man’s blind rage consequently resulting in thousands of deaths, and over what? The last time I checked, the man responsible for bringing New York and this country to its knees was still running around like Jerry in the caves of Afghanistan while the CIA plays the role of Tom.

The Democrats have every right to ask questions, but as days go by Bush’s inner circle continues to answer our questions with questions. Here’s a question: why was Cindy Sheehan arrested in front of your home, Mr. President? All she wanted was some answers about how her son died fighting for this country.

Because of this war, a well-known football player, Pat Tillman, felt the urge to serve his country, only to lose his life and leave his family not knowing how he truly died. And the Bush administration is trying to tell the American people what’s unfair.

An intelligent president would have thought rationally and attempted all other avenues before turning to war. But you can’t buy intelligence, only high-powered weapons. Some political aficionados would argue we’re in the middle of fighting World War III because of his actions. Day by day, Iraq is becoming like an annoying relative you can’t get rid of.

Many countries felt a certain degree of sympathy for the United States after the salvo on New York. That sympathy quickly turned to disdain because Bush turned into his doppelganger, Dubya. Now, Dubya is the ruler of the free world ready to take down anyone who opposes him. His first victim was Saddam Hussein – the next one may be the United States.

Sometimes you hurt the ones you love most. Then, when you look back on your actions, there was a lack of intelligence. Lack of intelligence could be the three words that will ultimately define the Dubya presidency.

Chris Williams is a member of an upper-level print journalism class at VCU examining the role of newspaper’s opinion sections in a media-driven society. This is one of his submissions.