Tomorrow's news, today (Wizbang)

Predicting the future is often a fool's game. But sometimes certain patterns emerge, and the first person to spot them and act on them is considered a genius. With that in mind, let me sum up the past, then whip out the crystal ball and prognosticate a little:

1) The intelligence agencies prepare a National Intelligence Estimate on the situation in ~~Iran~~ Iraq.

2) The conclusions are carefully balanced and neutral, giving evidence supporting both the war-supporting side and the war-opposing side.

3) The report is classified by the war-supporting president.

4) The war-opposing side leaks the portions of the summary conclusions that support their side.

5) The president, to counter the charges that he is suppressing the document because it doesn't support his side, releases the entire summary conclusions section.

6) The war-opposing side charges the president with "playing politics" with national security, demands the entire report be declassified.

7) The president, citing concerns that the entire report reveals "sources and methods," the most guarded elements of intelligence (detailing just how we know what we know, who's telling us what, and the capabilities and limitations of our most prized technologies), refuses.

PREDICTION:

Within the next week or so, key elements of the actual report will be released. These will be the portions that lend weight to the anti-war side. There will be attempts to conceal and/or redact the most sensitive information, but it will be done quite clumsily and reveal far more about our abilities -- and limitations -- than any sane person thinks reasonable.

And, of course, there will be no calls for investigations into who leaked the report from the mainstream media.

The Wizbang® Network

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Comments (8)

Iran? Huh?SS... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by sanssoucy | September 29, 2006 7:56 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

sanssoucy:

Iran? Huh?

Posted on September 29, 2006 07:56

And, of course, t... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Mike | September 29, 2006 8:04 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Mike:

Even for a seasoned cynic, the contrast between the zeal with which the 'Plame' case was investigated / publicized and the utter disinterest in who is leaking classified information is shocking.

Posted on September 29, 2006 08:04

Karnac Lives in JT!!... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by epador | September 29, 2006 8:17 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

epador:

Karnac Lives in JT!!

Posted on September 29, 2006 08:17

Jay Tea,With psychic... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Steve L. | September 29, 2006 8:40 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Steve L.:

Jay Tea,
With psychic abilities like this, you should head straight for the track.

Posted on September 29, 2006 08:40

Say it plain. Enemy agents ... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Scrapiron | September 29, 2006 11:22 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Scrapiron:

Say it plain. Enemy agents within the democratic party already have the entire report (provided to congress in April 06) which means the NYT has a complete copy to cherry pick from until the Nov elections. Every leak of secret National Security Data since 1993 has came directly from the democrats in the United States Congress. But they're patriotic ,yea, like Hee Haw was a broadway show.
No Karnac required. Simple facts of the past show how low the enemy (NYT) and the democrats will sink.

Posted on September 29, 2006 11:22

I thought intelligence repo... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Brian | September 29, 2006 4:51 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Brian:

I thought intelligence reports were supposed to be true and factual, not "carefully balanced and neutral".

Posted on September 29, 2006 16:51

So where's the senatorial s... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by astigafa | September 29, 2006 6:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

astigafa:

So where's the senatorial sex scandal? Better give that crystal ball another shake.

Posted on September 29, 2006 18:01

...Congressional sex scanda... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by astigafa | September 29, 2006 6:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

...Congressional sex scandal, I mean; just saw the Foley thing. Too bad, eh?

Posted on September 29, 2006 18:08

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