President Bush didn’t do himself any favors Tuesday in releasing part of a classified intelligence report that concludes that one effect of the war in Iraq has been expanding the danger from anti-American jihadists. The president wouldn’t release the entire report, but he did declassify several pages, a move designed to counter what he said were politically motivated distortions of the document.
The report seems to contradict his opinion that America is now safer from terrorist attack. The National Intelligence Estimate is prepared with material from 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. The report says the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq have been hateful fuel for Muslim jihadists.
“The Iraq conflict has become the cause celebre for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of U.S. involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement,” the report said.
Jihadists are increasing in number and dispersing geographically, and more attacks on U.S. interests are to be expected if trends continue, the report said.
The president disputes the cause and effect. “My judgment is, if we weren’t in Iraq, they’d find some other excuse, because they have ambitions,” Bush said. “They kill in order to achieve their objectives.”
No one is disputing that, of course, only the impact of the administration’s Iraq policy. Bush’s interpretation of the report portrays a disturbing denial of the obvious. It seems inconceivable that he could look at the evidence compiled by his own agencies and say the war in Iraq has not inflamed terrorists and expanded their numbers.
The White House looks at Iraq and portrays it as an effective mission. In a briefing on Wednesday, spokesman Tony Snow said the intel report “vindicates many of the steps” taken in combating terrorism.
To the contrary, the report makes clear that U.S. involvement in Iraq has deepened resentment of America. The longer the administration denies that basic fact, the longer it will take to find answers that will allow for some semblance of stability.
Some members of Congress reportedly pressured President Bush to release the report. Now they need to push for a strategy that will bring a successful end to the mission. Wishful thinking is not viable foreign policy.
