The #1 story in DC is the April 2006 National Intelligence Estimate that shows that the war in Iraq is making the terrorism situation worse worldwide. Senators and congresspeople from both parties are calling for the NIE to be declassified, but the question is whether it will be fully released or selectively redacted to show an incompletely and deceptive picture. There is a serious fight going on over this between the Democrats and the White House. Now there’s even more to leak though:
Rep. Jane Harman, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called on the White House to release a second, previously unknown national intelligence document that focuses solely on Iraq.
Harman insisted there is a draft NIE that has not been revealed to the public.
“I have learned there is an NIE on Iraq, specifically on Iraq, that has been left in draft form at the National Intelligence Council,” the California congresswoman said at a news conference.
Harman said the document has been kept in draft form so that it won’t be seen before midterm elections.
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CNN that he is not aware of any draft dealing solely with Iraq, but he believes Harman is reliable.
“If she says she has that information, I wouldn’t doubt it for one minute,” he said.
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