Bush Tells Israelis He Doesn't Believe Iran NIE Report

Newsweek:

In public, President Bush has been careful to reassure Israel and other allies that he still sees Iran as a threat, while not disavowing his administration's recent National Intelligence Estimate. That NIE, made public Dec. 3, embarrassed the administration by concluding that Tehran had halted its weapons program in 2003, which seemed to undermine years of bellicose rhetoric from Bush and other senior officials about Iran's nuclear ambitions. But in private conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last week, the president all but disowned the document, said a senior administration official who accompanied Bush on his six-nation trip to the Mideast. "He told the Israelis that he can't control what the intelligence community says, but that [the NIE's] conclusions don't reflect his own views" about Iran's nuclear-weapons program, said the official, who would discuss intelligence matters only on the condition of anonymity.

Bush's behind-the-scenes assurances may help to quiet a rising chorus of voices inside Israel's defense community that are calling for unilateral military action against Iran. Olmert, asked by NEWSWEEK after Bush's departure on Friday whether he felt reassured, replied: "I am very happy." A source close to the Israeli leader said Bush first briefed Olmert about the intelligence estimate a week before it was published, during talks in Washington that preceded the Annapolis peace conference in November. According to the source, who also refused to be named discussing the issue, Bush told Olmert he was uncomfortable with the findings and seemed almost apologetic.

Read the whole story: Newsweek

Comments

[javagirl322]

Of course this idiot is telling Israel he doesn't believe Iran. He just want a reason to kill again....and pay close attention, look who he's killing for.

[research]

Impeach Cheney and Bush before they KILL AGAIN!

[thepainter57]

59 million people voted for the idiot so they say.

I want all their names - NOW.

[thepainter57]

Again - can anyone find Osama Bin Ladenand ask him to finish what he started in Washington DC ?

[Dandy12]

I guess that Bush/Cheney & Co. couldn't cook the books on the NIE to go forth with yet another war for democracy!

[markusmarkus]

booosh doesn't retrust the intel community. I guess he's back to his gut feelings. "Honey, can you bring me a alkaselzer I think I'm goin' to nuke Iran."

Peace through impeachment!
Mark

[Nonamnesiac]

The facts were a death knell to the invasion of Iraq too. Just because the overwhelming intelligence proves there is no threat to the U.S., as it did prior to invading Iraq, doesn't mean Bush won't attack Iran anyway -- with the support of at least of half of the Dems, including Hillary and Obama.

[VivaZapata]

it's masad's (correct spelling?) intelligence he trusts. god knows he better not trust his own intelligence. anyway his family and the other glorified crackers have deals with Goldman Sucks and others (the Federal Reserve, the owners of America) and they will move toward war with Iran as soon as they figure out how to sell it to the non glorified crackers.

[jdfast]

The man is a certifiable idiot. Anyone the voted for him in the past should be made to pay a tax for what their vote did to this country and her reputation at home and overseas. Thanks a lot dumbasses. Hope you are happy with this fucking idiot. I guess he knows it all.

[mamacat]

Every time Bush opens his mouth, another voter decides to reject the Reactionaries in the Republican leadership. As long as he is talking, and not trying to order any more wars or surges, let him talk.

[ExPatriot70]

I thought this was about bush and his not believing the NIE report which makes him look the idiot that he really is. I just hope we get through to the end this incompetent fools term with out another damn war to lose.

[RibEye]

Neocons/Zionists are the biggest threat to this nation and its constitution and its people and its heritage and all its wonderfull glory.
And he gives weapons to Israel and Saudi, just to add more peace. Even though Iran has not attacked any nation in over two centuries and we gave biological weapons to Saddam (remember Rumsfeld) when he invaded Iran.

[movin2montana]

See, Bu$hCo makes its own reality. Your wake up and you just think you know what's going on, that the NIE actually means something, that decisions are actually predicated on what you call facts. Hah! These guys are really creative and they've got that vision thing going for them. So they're 0 for like a 100; just means that they're due.

[steffi]

Again we have a situation where the administration doesn't like the findings based on facts and would father draw their conclusions from fiction. Somebody simply ask Bush what is he basing his conclusions on?

[Ranta]

Bush's so-called "legacy".

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20080113_the_end_of_the_road_for_george_w_bush/