Intel Report: Iraq Challenges "Daunting"
NIE: Inadequate Iraqi Forces, Sectarian Fighting Makes Situation Tough To Improve
-
Play CBS Video Video Corruption, Waste In Iraq As violence continues in Iraq, a new report outlines waste of American aid dollars and possible corruption within Iraq's police force. Aleen Sirgany reports.
-
Video Iraq War Debate Grows Louder As support for Sen. Joseph Biden's symbolic Iraq resolution proposal dies, opposition resolutions from Republicans are gaining momentum. Sharyl Attkisson reports.
-
Video Capitol Bob On Iraq Opposition CBS News chief Washington correspondent and host of "Face The Nation" Bob Schieffer chats with Harry Smith about the Senate's ongoing opposition of President Bush's new Iraq plan.
-
-
An American Apache helicopter provides air support as a U.S. Marine takes aim after being fired upon by insurgents near the Euphrates River February 2, 2007 in Ramadi , Anbar Pronvince, Iraq. (Getty Images)
-
An Iraqi injured in Thursday's suicide bomber attack is wheeled in a hospital in Hillah, a city about 60 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Feb. 2, 2007. A pair of suicide bombers detonated explosives Thursday among shoppers in a crowded outdoor market in Hillah, killing at least 73 people and wounding 163. (AP Photo)
-
People clean up after a car bomb blast in a predominantly Shiite area in eastern Baghdad, Jan. 31, 2007. At least one person was killed and six were wounded in the blast. (AP)
-
A man wounded in a car bomb blast in predominantly Shiite area in eastern Baghdad waits for treatment in al-Kindi Hospital on Jan. 31, 2007. At least one person was killed and six were wounded in the blast. (AP Photo/Ali Abed)
-
-
In The Spotlight Bush's New Iraq Strategy A glimpse at some of the key elements in President Bush's new plan for Iraq.
-
Photo Essay Shiites Mark Ashoura One of the holiest days of year for Shiites marked amid increased tensions with Sunni Muslims.
-
Interactive American Heroes Profiles of U.S. soldiers who've died in Iraq, a look at the war's toll and pictures of mourning.
Months in the making, the collaborative assessment by 16 spy agencies says that growing and entrenched polarization between Shia and Sunni Muslims, inadequate Iraqi security forces, weak leaders, and the success of extremists' efforts to use violence to exacerbate the sectarian war all create a situation that will be difficult to improve.
The report, which is called a National Intelligence Estimate, or NIE, says the problem is not just a civil war. Rather, Iraq is spiraling toward implosion, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.
“The NIE does a very nice job of making clear the trajectory that Iraq is on,” says former CIA analyst Kenneth Pollard. “And that trajectory is straight down.”
"We think it is accurate," Stephen Hadley, Bush's national security adviser, said in a briefing on the document, called a National Intelligence Estimate. "We would emphasize the ‘hard-pressed,' because we will be pressing them hard and the Iraqi people will be pressing the government hard."
Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said it "demonstrates that the situation in Iraq is indeed dire and deteriorating. It saddens me that the pessimistic impressions I gained during my recent trip to Iraq are reinforced by the conclusions of the latest NIE."
The report said that "even if violence is diminished, given the current winner-take-all attitude and sectarian animosities infecting the political scene, Iraqi leaders will be hard-pressed to achieve sustained political reconciliation" any time soon.
It used much the same language about the prospects for Iraqi security forces, saying that despite recent improvements, they too "will be hard-pressed in the next 12-18 months to execute significantly increased security responsibilities" and take on Shiite militias.
In other developments:
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
... - 15
- next
See all 287 CommentsPosted by singinrick at 12:12 AM : Feb 03, 2007
How can you PUKES claim to be "Christian's" and LIE like this. YOU you pathetic member of the most EVIL group to EVER set foot on this planet, you bring insults and curses ONLY when YOU attempt to force YOUR beliefs upon the rest of us! No nation on this Planet has MORE Religious freedom than you losers do but that's not enough. You feel it to be YOUR responsibility to READ the Bible and not only decide what it means to YOUR Slimy Butt. YOU want to decide what it means to ME and all other American's. That despite the RECORD of the Religious Reich, something you sleaze bags NEVER want to discuss. Why is that I wonder?
tried the links, they didn't work.
Posted by heetseeker at 06:00 AM : Feb 03, 2007
To paraphrase you, heetseeker, I would say that this war was initiated by those who wouldn't fight and is fought by those who will.
What is the National Intelligence Estimate? Is it not the informed and critically evaluated judgment of the US Intelligence Community and the most authoritative assessment of the Director of National Intelligence? Nonsense! It is the informed view of traitors! They clearly do not back the President's "New Way Forward" nor our troops in harms way.
The commentary above is my take on the default position of anyone who challenges the administration's rosy view of all things Iraq. If you disagree you are a liberal. If you are a liberal then you are unpatriotic. If you are unpatriotic, you are emboldening the enemy. If you are emboldening the enemy then you are a traitor. Why should we listen traitors?
The problem is these "traitors" are popping up everywhere. They are Generals in the military,
Republicans in the Senate & Congress and high-ranking officials in our intelligence community. Could it possibly be that these people are right and the administration is wrong?
Statements of protest: "you are emboldening the enemy", statements of hope: "the insurgency is in its last throes" and statements of pretence: "we are winning in Iraq" are not policies. Rather they are statements of denial. Iraq has now become a monument to arrongance, an entalglement from which we cannot easily extricate ourselves. It is profligacy with blood and treasure on a grand scale.
This is a war initiated by those who cannot see and fought by those who can.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad"
"UN AMERICAN" "UN PATRIOTIC" "EMBOLDENING THE ENEMY"
It all goes back to the old egyptian Horus/Set Good/Evil Light/Darkness stuff..
Now singin rick, after you read that part of the bible, you should know that the masons always do their rituals facing east, and their womens group is the Ladies Of The Eastern Star...
I even saw where Al Sharpton was speaking at the "Church Of The Eastern Star" awhile back, because all these politicians in both parties are masons. Including George W. Bush whose father is one of the grand poobahs of the whole deal.
Wake up singinrick...
... such Websites operating with the collusion of U.S. Internet companies, knowingly ... Domain/Nameserver provider: Everyone's Internet in Houston, Texas: ...www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/1188788/posts - 37k - Cached - More from this site
Terror Forum Sows Seeds of Jihad
... rising tide of terror-related websites say it wouldn't come ... I've seen the whole little game play out in Houston at Everyones Internet more than once. ...www.wired.com/news/privacy/1,68214-0.html - 19k - Cached - More from this site
FrontPage magazine.com :: Islamist Terror Via the American Internet by Lee Kaplan
... such Websites operating with the collusion of U.S. Internet companies, knowingly ... Domain/Nameserver provider: Everyone's Internet in Houston, Texas: ...www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=14586 - 57k - Cached - More from this site
Terror Forum Sows Seeds of Jihad
... the rising tide of terror-related websites say it wouldn't come as ... .uk was being hosted by Everyones Internet, a service provider based in Houston, ...www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,68214,00.html - 33k - Cached - More from this site
Global Politician
Hosting Terror: 'Everyone's Internet' Promotes Online Terror Sites. Jeremy Reynalds - 6/19/2005 ... and pro-terrorist websites and eGroups that exist. ...globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=902&cid=11&sid=64 - 45k - Cached - More from this site
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
... - 15
- next
See all 287 Comments