Blaming the British won't fly.(PERSPECTIVES)(Editorial)

Byline: Waldo Proffitt

I was intrigued by a story published in many newspapers about three weeks ago describing one of the earlier involvements of British intelligence with American military operations.

This incident came to public attention at the same time serious questions were being raised about the accuracy of President Bush's State of the Union remarks on threats to this nation from weapons of mass destruction in the possession of Saddam Hussein.

The linkage here is between British intelligence and the careers of our first president (well before he became president) and our 43rd president. In the first instance, 227 years ago, a flaw in a British intelligence operation was a great …