Conflict Analysis Quotes



It is noteworthy that a U. S. President had such a harsh evaluation of our major intelligence agency. Even more important in this case is that this President justified his 2003 decision to invade Iraq and start the war on the intelligence he claimed was provided to him by the CIA that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. This quotation and the President’s view was not public at the time. I all fairness to the CIA staff, many of them had provided a number of caveats and warnings about the unreliability of the information. However, the CIA Director, George Tenant, advised Bush in a way that the caveats were sublimated. See {633093} for more detail.


1914 was the outbreak of WWI in which all the belligerents had very different interests and reasons for war—even allies on the same side greatly differed as to their motivation for fighting.


William V, Prince of Orange, was a very hapless monarch of Holland who was ineffective in dealing with revolutionary discontent despite help and support of England. The King of England was resigned to Holland becoming, like France, a Republic. The English statesmen and diplomats, while aiding William, were also secretly providing money and other assistance to the Patriot rebels, to ensure good relations with the Dutch republican leaders.