In message , Kevin Brooks
writes
Oddly enough, there wwere quite a few other western leaders who had reached
the same conclusion he had in terms of "evaluating intelligence seriously",

Given the way 'evaluating intelligence' appears to have consisted of
frontline analysts reporting 'there is no current evidence of a
significant Iraqi WME threat' and politicians saying "that 'no' really
spoils the sentence, why don't we delete it?" then that statement needs
a little care.

The leaders were given intelligence, and reached conclusions that said
evidence did not readily support. See the Butler Report here in the UK
for how evidence was gently modified with caveats removed and the
possible turned into the certain, between gathering and action.

--
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.
Julius Caesar I:2

Paul J. Adam MainBoxatjrwlynch[dot]demon{dot}co(.)uk