While I was cleaning tonight, I caught about three hours worth of the 9/11 Commissions discussion with a senate panel regarding their findings on the state of US intelligence prior to September 11.

It was fascinating to watch.

It was quite apparent that Bush was unknowingly acting on seriously flawed information due to lack of communication between intelligence agencies. I think, from what I have heard read from the 9/11 report, the information seems to vindicate Bush’s reasoning for going to war. There really were intelligence reports to back up his claims for why we were going to war. Other intelligence agencies seemed to have conflicting information and did not make this information known.

I think it would improve Bush’s ratings if he would make a statement saying that the reasons he went to war were based on faulty intelligence, and then list the bazillion improvements that have been made since then to ensure that information wasn’t so faulty, and that communication between intelligence organizations was more efficient. It would be good to again, in the same speech, outline his goals for Iraq and Afghanistan.

As I watched the Commission give their report, it seemed like some agencies classified information that was unclassified to other organizations. So, while the information was technically available, the priority level was different for a number of the organizations, which added to the communication problem.

I do think that a clearing house for all information would be smart — it would help prevent agencies talking past each other — but a fear that I have is the power that the director of this newly created agency would wield. To whom would this person be accountable?

The Commission strongly pointed to the “prior administration” and how funding was pulled from the intelligence arena and reshuffled to other budget items. This caused a roadblock in the ability to collect intelligence in the various agencies. When Bush got into office, that was the hand of cards he was dealt – an under funded, and as a result, inefficient intelligence network. The Commission noted Bush’s quick response to jumpstart the system, including the creation of a Homeland Security Dept.

This is an interesting item for debate — how intelligence is processed and who makes the final call when a decision must be made based on intelligence reports from different agencies.

I am eager to read the actual 9/11 Report.

3:34 am. Time for bed. Babysitting at 9am.