John Bolton: Iran NIE "Illegitimate"

[babylonsister]

Bolton: US intelligence has become politicized
By HAVIV RETTIG


The 2007 US National Intelligence Estimate, as well as the skewed reporting around it, is a sign of the "illegitimate politicization" of the American intelligence establishment, according to former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton.
Bolton at a book-signing in Tel Aviv


The document reportedly said Iran stopped its nuclear weapons production program in 2003.

While "Iran's nuclear program is continuing and expanding," Bolton told The Jerusalem Post at a book-signing in a Tel Aviv Steimatzky on Sunday, "the NIE has had a devastating impact on our global efforts to try and constrain Iran."

"I know the people who wrote this intelligence estimate," Bolton continued. "They are not from our intelligence community. They're from our State Department. It was a highly politicized document written by people who had a very clear policy objective."

The former ambassador decried the lack of separation between "intelligence and policy."

"Generating intelligence should be separated from policy-makers, but it should also be separated from intelligence analysts who impose their own policy views on the intelligence they generate," insisted Bolton, who is in the country to attend the Herzliya Conference this week.

Furthermore, said Bolton, the NIE "doesn't say what you probably think it says. Once you get past the first sentence or two, it doesn't come out that different from the 2005 NIE. All of the attention was focused on the one finding that {Iran halted the weapons-building} aspect of the weapons program, even though later they say that they only have 'moderate confidence' that this suspension has continued. That's a polite way of saying they don't have a clue what the situation is."

more...

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1200572500855&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. Kettle? I have this here pot to whom I wish to introduce you.

Bolton is the largest pimple on the ass of this administration.

[IDemo]

7. I reference NIE, pots and kettles here ->

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2429775

[Ganja Ninja]

2. Just like your President and your appointment John.

Illegitimate.

[bdamomma]

3. oh god, this stupid neo con is still around spewing his venom.

[NewJeffCT]

4. And what gives you the credibility to speak about NIEs, Mr. Bolton?

Nothing that I can think of...

[gateley]

5. Why is anyone asking him about anything to do with us? Isn't he a private

citizen now? Does he think that ALL OF A SUDDEN people are going to take what he says as valid? :shrug:

God, he makes my blood boil.

[bdamomma]

6. coming out from under his rock I guess.

[Dudley_DUright]

8. All in favor of John Bolton serving as an "Army of One" (TM)

in a war against Iran say aye. :hi: Good luck with your war there John, but leave the rest of us in the reality based world out of it.

[nebenaube]

10. Aye! n/t

[gratuitous]

9. Well, if anyone knows illegitimate

It would be ersatz UN Ambassador John "Nuke 'em all" Bolton, the very picture of diplomacy and tact.