What we knew, what we didn't

Kos has an excellent post on the information that was made public about pre-war CIA investigations of Iraq. He starts with quote form former Senator Bob Graham (D-FL):

There were troubling aspects to this 90-page document. While slanted toward the conclusion that Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction stored or produced at 550 sites, it contained vigorous dissents on key parts of the information, especially by the departments of State and Energy. Particular skepticism was raised about aluminum tubes that were offered as evidence Iraq was reconstituting its nuclear program. As to Hussein's will to use whatever weapons he might have, the estimate indicated he would not do so unless he was first attacked.

Under questioning, Tenet added that the information in the NIE had not been independently verified by an operative responsible to the United States. In fact, no such person was inside Iraq. Most of the alleged intelligence came from Iraqi exiles or third countries, all of which had an interest in the United States' removing Hussein, by force if necessary.

Note, that classified NIE was not available to every congressperson. Just to members of the Senate and House committees on intelligence.

Graham asked Tenet to produce an unclassified version of the NIE. But what the CIA produced was a propaganda piece absent any of the reservations or caveats presented in the classified edition of the document. The vast majority of senators and congressment, much less the American people, did not see the full classified document.

Hence, Bush's claims that congressional Democrats had access to the same intelligence that the administration had is pure bullshit.

So it seems like Bush is assuming that Graham and others privy to the classified information illegally leaked said intel to the Dems the President now calls hypocrites. This assumption is somewhat understandable, considering this administration's own propensity towards leaking things about the CIA to score political points, but doesn't have any evidence behind it to validate the hypocrisy charge. No, since Bush's administration concealed intelligence that questioned the cause for war, the blame for whatever happens during it, if the fears were unfounded, must lie mostly in his hands.

... more TPM on the whole who-knew-what question