Originally posted by 18psi2300:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,154574,00.html



In your case, don't confuse being "lucky" with being right; there's a large difference between the two even if they do sometimes lead to the same apparent conclusion. If you must persist in doing so, quit your day-job and see if Miss Cleo needs an assistant...

EVERY intelligence agency on the planet had the same dossier on Iraq's capabilities; agencies that study foreign powers and the threat they present on a DAILY basis. Most have fairly sharp minds behind the wheels; the fact that Iraq somehow bamboozled the UN into conducting a decade-long weapons inspection is a clear sign that Hussein and his cronies certainly knew how to play the game. The fact that the CIA along with every other reputable intelligence-gathering agency held the same calculated deduction that Iraq WAS a chem/biochem threat is another sign that Hussein kept a rock-solid lid on his capabilities and that the civilized world is going to have to DRASTICALLY improve their intelligence-gathering methods and revisit their procedures on recognizing and categorizing unconventional threats in a post-9/11 world...

...but no, the genuises here that somehow had possession of a crystal ball have it all pinned on politics and the politicians in office (namely the Republican administration that held office during the time of 9/11). Let's see what the other side of the aisle had to say:

"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line." - President Bill Clinton, February 4, 1998

"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program." - President Bill Clinton, February 17, 1998

"We must stop Saddam from ever again jeopardizing the stability and security of his neighbors with weapons of mass destruction." - Madeline Albright, February 1, 1998

"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983." - Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, February 18, 1998

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." Letter to President Clinton. - (D) Senators Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, others, October 9, 1998

"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." - Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), December 16, 1998

"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies." - Madeline Albright, Clintonâ??s Secretary of State, November 10, 1999

"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them." - Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), September 19, 2002

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country." - Al Gore, September 23, 2002

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." - Al Gore, September 23, 2002

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." - Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), September 27, 2002

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..." - Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), October 3, 2002

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force -- if necessary -- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), October 9, 2002

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction." - Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), October 10, 2002

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members ... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." - Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), October 10, 2002

"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." - Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), December 8, 2002

â??Every day Saddam remains in power with chemical weapons, biological weapons, and the development of nuclear weapons is a day of danger for the United States.â? -Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) September 4, 2002

â??If we wait for the [Iraq] danger to become clear, it could be too late.â? -Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del) September 4, 2002

â??Iraq both poses a continuing threat to the national security of the United States and international peace and security in the Persian Gulf region and remains in material and unacceptable breach of its international obligations by, among other things, continuing to possess and develop a significant chemical and biological weapons capability, actively seeking a nuclear weapons capability, and supporting and harboring terrorist organizations.â? -Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) February 5, 2003

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real..." - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), January 23. 2003

Any thoughts or smarmy comments you'd like to share now? Perhaps another link?

Pat yourself on the back all you want; hell, the local drunk a few blocks from me occasionally figures out how to park his car parallel to his driveway after a all-nighter at the bar. I guess he deserves some congratulations, too. Hopefully this shows the difference of being "lucky" vs. "right".

The fact that you are missing the point that Iraq after the mid '90s turned into what has been perhaps the largest, publicly-known intelligence failure of our time is the REAL concern here. Furthermore, the disconnect was not just with the CIA, it was with other agencies as well. It seems nobody had a differing story that could be backed up with facts (unless you count French, German and Russian political and personal interests with the Hussein regime as such).

The Iraq invasion was the tip of the iceberg; 90% of what GWB's actions were based on were in place YEARS beforehand. Regardless of political stripes and who is in office in the US, our leaders decisions are usually only as good as the guidance they are given by their intelligence arms.

I could care less who gets the office after GWB, be they Democrat of Republican just as long as the intelligence issues are FIXED and put to bed.

JaTo e-Tough Guy Missouri City, TX 99 Contour SVT #143/2760 00 Corvette Coupe