[20060221]RS21696_美国情报和决策：伊拉克经验.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21696Updated February 21, 2006U.S. Intelligence and Policymaking: The Iraq ExperienceRichard A. Best, Jr.Specialist in National DefenseForeign Affairs, Defense, and Trade DivisionSummaryA continuing issue for Congress is the question of whether the U.S. IntelligenceCommunity failed to provide accurate information about Iraqi capabilities to developand use weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and whether the Bush Administrationsystematically misused intelligence to garner support for launching Operation IraqiFreedom in March 2003 and for continuing military operations in Iraq. The SenateIntelligence Committee submitted a report on the Intelligence Communitysperformance in July 2004 (S.Rept. 108-301), but a follow-on assessment of the use ofintelligence has not been prepared and has become the source of controversy that led toa rare closed session of the Senate on November 1, 2005. This report explores in generalterms the relationship between the production of intelligence and the making of policyas reflected in the period prior to the war against Iraq in March 2003 and