We are not safer, no matter what Cheney says

The recently completed National Intelligence Estimate concluded that the war in Iraq has helped incubate more terror cells. From the Guardian:

An authoritative US intelligence report pooling the views of 16 government agencies concludes America's campaign in Iraq has increased the threat of terrorism.

The National Intelligence Estimate was completed in April but not made public. Its conclusions, which were first reported by the New York Times, contradict assertions made by President George Bush and White House officials during the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

"It's a very candid assessment," said one official who has seen the report. "It's stating the obvious."

As this report clearly contradicts current Administration talking points regarding Iraq, terrorism, et al, the article kindly provides a few quotes to drive the mendacity home.

In their own words

"My administration, the Congress, and the United Nations saw the threat - and after 9/11, Saddam's regime posed a risk that the world could not afford to take. The world is safer because Saddam Hussein is no longer in power"
George Bush's address to the nation, September 11 2006

"I think it's clear that we are safer but not really yet safe. We've done a lot ... our ports are more secure, we have a much stronger intelligence sharing operation. We've clearly hurt badly the al-Qaida organisation"
Condoleezza Rice, September 10 2006

"I don't know how much better you can do than no attacks for the past five years. The fact is, the world is better off today with Saddam Hussein out of power. Think where we'd be if he was still there"
Dick Cheney, September 11 2006

So, if the NIE was completed in April and the Prez. Vice, and SecState all made these statements in September, and we assume that these three have actually seen the report, that would make them huge fucking liars – no? If terrorism is worse because of the war, then we are not safer. That seems pretty cut and dry. Just saying something is true does not necessarily make it so (“I do believe in fairies, I do, I do”).

Not for nothing, it seems lots of Republicans are having trouble with the truth these days. With the election this close and the R’s doing badly, the season for saying anything to stay in office is upon us. I am just waiting for the “No one could have predicted” statement that is surely forthcoming. Simply plug the latest fuckup into the construct and away you go.

“No one could have predicted that al Queda would attack”
“No one could have predicted that the levees would fail”
“No one could have predicted that Iraq would become a hotbed for terrorism and sink into a civil war”.

None of these statements are true, of course, yet they offer the patina of “this was out of our hands so we cannot be held responsible”. It is the Administration’s favorite accountability avoidance device, sort of like Mad Libs for the incompetent.