This Is A Pretty Sad Commentary

A portion of the National Intelligence Estimate has been released. I'm looking at the Associated Press and Reuters stories side-by-side. And Reuters has a better representation of the document while the AP article is an editorial that stresses the same negative tripe we've heard since this whole ruckus started. In other words, there is active suppression of the news here.

AP: WASHINGTON - A declassified government intelligence report says the war in Iraq has become a "cause celebre" for Islamic extremists, breeding deep resentment of the U.S. that is likely to get worse before it gets better.

In the bleak report, released Tuesday on President Bush's orders, the nation's most veteran analysts conclude that despite serious damage to the leadership of al-Qaida, the threat from Islamic extremists has spread both in numbers and in geographic reach.

"If this trend continues, threats to U.S. interests at home and abroad will become more diverse, leading to increasing attacks worldwide," the document says. "The confluence of shared purpose and dispersed actors will make it harder to find and undermine jihadist groups."

Reuters: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The war in Iraq has bred deep resentment in the Muslim world and provided Islamist militants with a "cause celebre" that allowed the global movement to cultivate supporters, according to excerpts of a secret intelligence report released on Tuesday.

….

"We assess that the Iraq jihad is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives," said the declassified segment of the report, titled "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States."

"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," it added.

"Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight."

Democrats, hoping to take control of Congress in the November elections, have seized on media leaks about the report as evidence that Bush's Iraq policy has worsened the global terrorism threat.

But the declassified section, which contained 10 judgments about global terrorism including one on Iraq, reached no sweeping conclusion about the war's ultimate effect on global terrorism.

The AP is stressing one section out of 10 that were released. Reuters is much more even handed here. I need to get my hands on the full text. I do not trust any of the media to give a fully accurate account of this document at this point. That's pretty sad when you think about it.

UPDATE: Thanks to Bill for the link. An absolutely key part of the bit that AP quoted was left out - it completely negates their spin - which, I'm sure, is why it was left out. Note also the four factors quoted as reasons for spread of Jihad.

We assess that the Iraq jihad is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and
operatives; perceived jihadist success there would inspire more fighters to continue the
struggle elsewhere.

• The Iraq conflict has become the cause celebre for jihadists, breeding a deep
resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for
the global jihadist movement. Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves,
and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry
on the fight.We assess that the underlying factors fueling the spread of the movement outweigh its
vulnerabilities and are likely to do so for the duration of the timeframe of this Estimate.

• Four underlying factors are fueling the spread of the jihadist movement: (1)
Entrenched grievances, such as corruption, injustice, and fear of Western
domination, leading to anger, humiliation, and a sense of powerlessness; (2) the
Iraq jihad; (3) the slow pace of real and sustained economic, social, and
political reforms in many Muslim majority nations; and (4) pervasive anti-US
sentiment among most Muslims all of which jihadists exploit.

The section of the NIE that the White House released today can be found here.

• 

  By Bill Franklin, Tuesday, 26 September , 2006 @ 5:17 pm

  > I need to get my hands on the full text.

  http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/images/09/26/nie.declass.pdf

  I believe that is the total amount that has been declassified by the administration.

• 

  By Gaius, Tuesday, 26 September , 2006 @ 5:26 pm

  Thank you, Bill.

• 

  By ronbo, Wednesday, 27 September , 2006 @ 7:50 am

  AP: “… the nation’s most veteran analysts conclude….” (emphasis added)

  Now, how would they know that?

Other Links to this Post

1. The Real Ugly American.com » Blog Archive » This Is A Pretty Sad Commentary — Tuesday, 26 September , 2006 @ 6:26 pm

2. The Democratic Daily — Tuesday, 26 September , 2006 @ 11:35 pm