How Bad Is Our Intelligence?

If I'm to believe the administration, and specifically Condi Rice, we underestimated the vileness of Saddam Hussein, in regards to his wanton disregard for the infrastructure of Iraq. Now, I don't want to be too shrill about this, but if our intelligence agencies can't even ascertain the state of lightly-guarded public facilities, i.e. infrastructure, in Iraq, then how the hell are they going to infiltrate the inner circles of Al Qaeda and other secretive terrorist organizations?

I'm serious about this. I could have led an intelligence operation in Iraq, with no experience, and developed a team that could have discerned the state of infrastructure and public facilities in Iraq. How hard can that be? I mean, my expectation level of our intelligence, of our James Bonds, goes far beyond this mundane task.

Not that I believe Rice when she says they underestimated Saddam. They didn't guard the crucial ministries and facilities during and after the war, and that is the main reason for the infrastructure problems today. Not what took place before the war. Perhaps if they had secured these ministries, like they did the Ministry of Oil, we wouldn't be having this conversation, and the Iraqi people wouldn't be suffering so badly, or living so poorly.

I encourage all of you to ponder your own expectations for our intelligence services and operations. Not to mention care and attention by elected leaders to deteriorating infrastructure.