[Rodeo]

"Furthermore, the point this program was trying to present, is that leaders will tend to interpret intelligence or data in a way to suit their own political agenda. I personally believe that the answer may lay somewhere in this context."

I agree with this, and to a large extent how you feel about the question of lying relates back to your overall view of this administration.

I think the intelligence was viewed with the same casualness, lack of curiosity, and arrogance that is the hallmark of the Bush administration. Whether it's staffing FEMA, processing intelligence, planning for the peace, or preparing a budget, this administration has little interest beyond broad, sweeping measures. The details are for little people, and people that do not receive their direction directly from the lord.

So you receive intelligence that is, at best, 50/50 on the issue of WMDs or an Iraq/Al Queda connection, and you read it in that mindset. You forget the 50% that opposes your viewpoint, and exaggerate the remaining 50%.

Unless you’re Dick Cheney. He’s too smart for that, he’s a detail guy, and he knew exactly what he was doing.