Why was the prewar intelligence leading up to the Iraq war dead wrong?

Question

http://www.time.com/time/2007/iraq/25.html

And will Bush continue to use this intelligence to wage blunderous wars?

Furthermore why hasn't he learned from his mistakes by not withdrawing the troops

http://www.time.com/time/2007/iraq/3.html

Answer 1

It wasn't. The cherry picking was wrong. The CIA even told Bush NOT to use the Uranium Purchase by Iraq in Niger document in his speech. Bush pulled it from his speech in Ohio and then used it 3 months later in his STU address. He stated that there is clear evidence that Iraq was attempting to purchase yellow-cake (uranium) from Africa (Niger). He based this on a forged document that he was told not to trust by the CIA.

The Bush administration then scapegoated the intelligence agencies to deflect from the fact that they ignored everything they did not want to hear from those very agencies.

Answer 2

There wasn't any proof of finding WMDs, thus no immediate threat against us from Iraq. By the Constitutional standards we are only to go to war if we are under an immediate threat by the other country or we have been attacked somehow by that country. Afganastan and Bin Laden did that, not Iraq. So the war is Illegal by Constitutional standards. Bush is already talking about the Weapons in other countries like Iran and North Korea, who will believe him now if and when WMDs are actually found somewhere. Bush has proven he is a stubborn man by not withdrawing the troops from his war in Iraq, he continues to send more in. He is determined to show the world in this that he is right and the majority is wrong and he won't listen to the people anymore.

Answer 3

Well ,if I tell you you'll disagree but oh well.

Here it goes. Notice the name of it prewar intelligence. Intelligence can never be 100% full proof. So what are we supposed to do. Just not use our intelligence assets ever again because we made a mistake. Let's also keep in mind that every American( excluding you) believed he had WMDs.

As for why we haven't withdrawn the troops, it's not a good way to win a war ya know, kinda falling back and retreating.

Look intelligence is 90% guesswork and 10% hard info. My uncle worked in the service god rest his soul and he would tell you that other intelligence has been much worse.

Answer 4

Bush had an administration filled with PNAC people,Donald Rumsfeld ,Paul Wolfowitz and others who wanted to attack Iraq back in the late nineties.
Prior to 9/11 Rice and Powell,both members of the Bush administration at that point said Saddam was contained and Iraq had no WMD

Answer 5

Several people have mentioned that Dick Cheney was a regular visitor to CIA headquarters, pressuring various high-ranking officials, such as George Tenet and Richard Clarke, to "find" evidence of WMDs. It appears the administration wanted this war so badly, they were willing to falsify the evidence and lie to the American people. The war was planned before 9/11, and whatever Bush is doing over there, it's clear he does not believe it was a mistake.

Answer 6

"Of course the people dont want war...that is understood. But voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
-- Hermann Goering --a leading member of the Nazi Party, second in command of the Third Reich, and commander of the Luftwaffe

Answer 7

Bush's final version was wrong - because he and the neocons made it fit their preconceived ideas. They wanted the war - and the evidence got bent to fit.

Bush still believes it was the right thing to do - despite the mountains of dead and displaced people, and the pure lack of any good reason to stay.

Answer 8

Bush hand picked intel reports that supported his agenda, regardless of how weak the source may have been.
He did not make a mistake as far as he is concerned, he did exactly what he set out to do.

Answer 9

Maybe the war is not over, that's why we haven't withdrew the troops. We are still in Germany from WWII. This war isn't even over. They are still attacking us. Did you notice that once the curfew in Baghdad was lifted, the worst bombing in the war so far happened? Honestly, what do you think would happen if we announced that we were leaving? Think about that.

Answer 10

Might have had something to do with the systematic gutting of the US intelligence aparatus after the Cold War.