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Americans continue to absorb the role that faulty intelligence played in landing us in a war with Iraq, the subject of our Feb. 9 Special Report. A reader wondered whether WMD should stand for "Wanton Mass Deception." Many are outraged by what one described as "an immoral and unjustifiable war." But others support the effort given "the Iraqi horror stories, mass graves and political prisons," as one wrote. "We clearly found the biggest WMD: Saddam Hussein." Another added that while "Saddam wasn't blameless... Bush's reasons for going to war were seriously flawed." Without exception, all mourned the loss of life. "It is one thing to make an [intelligence] mess, another to have sacrificed more than 500 Americans," one lamented. As for ultimate accountability, a reader summed it up this way: "The intelligence agencies have displayed 'in hindsights' for decades and could use major overhauling, but the buck stops with the commander in chief."
Did Our Intelligence Fail?
Before the Iraq war, I argued with people repeatedly over its necessity and justification. I supported the war for reasons beyond just the WMD, but part of my argument included WMD and the threat Iraq posed to the world. When the "major hostilities" ended, I thought that while we might not find tons of biological- or chemical-weapon stockpiles, they existed and would eventually be found, as the Bush administration assured us. Now after reading your Feb. 9 cover story, " 'We Were All Wrong,' " and the news reports about David Kay's findings, I am embarrassed, and...
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