Every Kiss Begins With Kay

We can't say we weren't forewarned. Again. Former Iraq Survey Group leader David Kay, who led the first fruitless search for WMD in postwar Iraq proposes some common-sense principles to avoid making similar mistakes in the upcoming quest to liberate Iran.*

Now is the time for serious analysis that genuinely tries to pull together all the evidence and analytical skills of the vast U.S. intelligence community to reach the best possible judgment on the status of that program and the gaps in our knowledge. That assessment should not be led by a team that is trying to prove a case for its boss. Now is the time to reach outside the secret brotherhood and pull in respected outsiders to lead the assessment.

Nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran would be a grave danger to the world. That is not what is in doubt. What is in doubt is the ability to the U.S. government to honestly assess Iran's nuclear status and to craft a set of measures that will cope with that threat short of military action by the United States or Israel.

Well. Guess it's safe to say that Dave's getting crossed off W's Christmas card list. In the meantime, we'll make sure to archive this one for the inevitable plausible deniability phase of the disinformation campaign.

*(I hereby call dibs on the name Operation Kevlar Turban™ to describe this near-future fiasco. Just tell 'em where you got it.)