Review pre-war Iraq intelligence
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By THE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD
Friday, January 30, 2004
seattlepi.nwsource.com
When something goes wrong, an investigation can clear the air. More important, a thorough investigation can prevent similar mistakes.
David Kay, the former head of the U.S. search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, correctly stressed the value of an outside examination of American intelligence's mistaken assessments of chemical and biological threats. He said lessons can best be learned with objective, outside help.
For the White House, such common sense seems difficult to process, and not just on the WMD mistakes.
In the investigation into the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the White House says there is no need to honor an independent commission's request to extend its May 27 deadline. If its independence means anything, the commission should be the one to decide.
Independence is precisely the issue. Britain and Prime Minister Tony Blair are making progress sorting through their pre-war decisions because Blair placed his trust in an outside inquiry. About both 9/11 and the weapons distortions, President Bush seems to fear objective review of his administration's actions.
Throughout the Clinton era, Republicans judged no matter too small for independent inquiry, whether it was Whitewater, White House travel office jobs or who was sleeping over in the Lincoln Bedroom. In contrast to such largely irrelevant subjects, national security would be a worthwhile topic for learning how America might do better. |
