Press Briefing: Bush Learned Of NIE Iran Findings 'In The Last Few Months,' But Continued Rhetoric

Think Progress:

This afternoon, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley held a press briefing on the new National Intelligence Estimate, which concludes that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003. As ThinkProgress has documented, Bush administration officials -- despite knowing of the NIE -- have been ratcheting up their rhetoric on Iran in the past couple of months.

The central question in today's briefing for Hadley was whether White House officials intentionally disregarded the intelligence community's findings in order to bang the war drums against Iran. Reporters repeatedly pressed Hadley on the specific date when the White House learned about the NIE's findings. Yet incredibly, he refused to give a "precise answer," instead stating that it was within the "last few months." From the briefing:

Read the whole story: Think Progress

Comments

[songtraveler]

Without the fake boogie man of a "nu-cue-lar" Iran, what does Bush have left?

Nothing.

He's empty. Done. Deflated. Despairing. Exhausted. Purposeless. Dead.

But is anybody on our side brave enough even now to impeach this toothless, arthritic old wolfe who's nevertheless killed so many of our little lambs? He's right over there, lying listlessly in the dirt, just waiting to be put out of his misery....

It would mean so much to our national honor to impeach him, even if we only shaved one day off of his disaster of a presidency.

But he won't be brought to justice.

Nobody's on the bench now but Clarence Thomas.

Shame on us all.

[1differentdrummer]

Meanwhile the fool spends your Social Security money. The boomers will lose and lose and lose because of this malevolent mess in the WH.

[fourex]

Bush said he just found out about 2003 NIE on Iran. Of course he should be fired. I would rather see him sentenced first.

[MetalCanuck]

I can't wait till 9/11 is exposed too.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

"Iran Nuke Report: What Did Bush Know And When Did He Know It?"

Fair question.

Here's another:

When did the Democratic leadership first know about the Iran assessment and why is impeachment still off the table?

[gappytoofcondi]

What does Bush know and when did he know it?
Talk about a softball!
Bush knows nothing, never intends to know anything, and will not admit to anything until he is literally punched in the face. He is truly "Uncurious" George.
He has been bought and sold by big oil, the war machinery corps and the military complex. A stone cold TRAITOR if ever there was one!

[RedRooster]

"Bush Learned Of NIE Iran Findings 'In The Last Few Months,' But Continued Rhetoric"
________

It is one thing for the president to use diplomatic channels to send strongly worded messages to Iran, but it is quite another thing to use radio and television channels to spread fear-based lies and hysteria.

Wake Up America!

[OhgReaTone]

Here is the conflict of leadership. Can a leader be effective if they admit that they have made mistakes?
Ohg.
http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/12/04/the-politics-of-admitting-mistakes/

[OhgReaTone]

The Warrior Class that presently runs the White House is not in touch with the Human Class that populates this country.
Ohg.
http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/11/27/life-or-death-warrior-virtues/

[savertime]

Bush lied at the press conference today.
He said "I learned about the NIE report last week."
The NIE was completed a year ago. Cheney's office tried to stifle the report because
it did not support the White House rhetoric on
Iran's nuclear ambitions; nor did it support Iran's involvement in sending IEDs into Irag.

Soooo, Cheney's office knew about the NIE claims, and Bush did not????

[OhgReaTone]

President Bush cannot acknowledge a changing world - or a the reality that has never been on his radar.
Ohg.
http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/12/04/bush-bewildering-logic/

[twitch1956]

Georgie Boy is drinking again, and he doesn't remember shit.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Why does this surprise anyone? He did the same thing with the Intelligence reports that warned that Osama was planing to attack. His ignorance has cost this nation the lives of soldiers. His continued ignorance and lack of any perspective or judgement cost the lives of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians. He now wants to perform the same clusterfuck operation on Iran.

[LaFeminazi]

Well lets see.

All the agencies were dredging every piece of information from The ME for decades.

This ramped up to crazy levels after 9-11.

Iran stopped researching to make the bomb in 2003.

Therefore I would say the administration must have known in 2003.

Just like they knew Saddam had no WMD, otherwise they would never have invaded.

Simple really.

[VungTauVet]

When the fuck did bushwhackjob ever know anything? Oh yeah, he knows he likes having the RNC's hand up his ass! American't run by a live dummy, ROFLMAO.