News Great Article Detailing the Bush Administration's Failures in Intelligence

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the implications of the Bush Administration's approach to information management, particularly in relation to the Iraq War. It highlights the concept of 'stovepiping,' where selected information is funneled directly to decision-makers, bypassing standard checks and balances. This practice raises concerns about intellectual curiosity and the potential for manipulation of knowledge, suggesting that the administration may have preferred to hear only what aligned with their views. While some participants express skepticism about the idea that the administration intentionally fabricated lies, they acknowledge that the failure to adhere to basic information protocols contributed to the spread of misinformation. The conversation emphasizes the ethical dimensions of these practices and the importance of transparency in governance.
RageSk8
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?031027fa_fact

Read it, seriously.
 
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I think this ties in directly to Bush's assertion that he doesn't follow the news, but rather allows his staff to tell him what he needs to hear. It is this utter lack of intellectual curiousity, often brought up pre-election, that has manifested itself in what the article refers to as 'stovepiping': channeling selected information directly to the top, without passing it through the customary filters. This tendency makes it very easy to manipulate knowledge, by controling the information flow. Maybe this was intentional, to allow 'plausible deniability'?
 
Maybe this was intentional, to allow 'plausible deniability'?

I doubt the Bush Administration is so sinister. I always found, and debated against, the view that the Bush and Blaire administrations concocted lies to defend their stance on Iraq - I found it, and still find it, incomprehensible (and this article reaffirms my stance). They simply heard what they wanted to hear.
 
Originally posted by RageSk8
I doubt the Bush Administration is so sinister. I always found, and debated against, the view that the Bush and Blaire administrations concocted lies to defend their stance on Iraq - I found it, and still find it, incomprehensible (and this article reaffirms my stance). They simply heard what they wanted to hear.
I dunno...but then again, it works just as well, based on what we know of these folks...the main lie was the one they told themselves?
 
the main lie was the one they told themselves?

Yeah, pretty much. And all of this misinformation could have been weeded out had the administration followed BASIC protocol.
 
Originally posted by RageSk8
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?031027fa_fact

Read it, seriously.
Thanks RageSk8,

That's serious. :/
It's shows a lot about ethics.
I hope a lot of people read this.
 
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