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Length: 2:58
WOLF BLITZER: There was
another wave of insurgent attacks today in Iraq, and
more of the sectarian violence that's ravaging the
country; 23 bodies were found in Baghdad alone.
Little wonder that today's report from America's
intelligence community amounts to a dire warning
about the road ahead.
Joining us now, our correspondent in Baghdad, Michael
Ware.
Michael, this national intelligence estimate that the
U.S. government put out, the declassified version,
paints a very bleak picture of what's happening in
Iraq. It says it's not good if the U.S. forces
actually stay, and it's not good if the U.S. forces
actually leave. You've had a chance to read it.
What's your assessment?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN BAGHDAD CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf,
I mean, to be honest, these national intelligence
assessments or certainly these declassified summaries
that we have come closer to painting a more realistic
picture than a lot of what we've seen in the past
from the administration, or at least publicly from
the intelligence community.
I mean, there's no real shock value to this report or
its grim assessment. I mean, this is merely the
public statements catching up with the reality.
Indeed, there would have been a Neverland quality, or
more shocking aspect, if it hadn't said these things.
So it does paint an accurate picture. It's
interesting to see that now the intelligence
community is prepared to say that this is, in fact,
what's going on in Iraq.
BLITZER: Because at the end it suggests that it's not
by any means out of the question that a nightmare
scenario would develop either leading toward anarchy
in the streets of Iraq, a partition of Iraq into the
various ethnic sectors, or some sort of Iraqi/Shiite
strongman emerging who would dominate the political
scene.
WARE: Absolutely, all of which are very real
possibilities, particularly in the vacuum of any
immediate or rapid U.S. withdrawal. The situation has
become such that sometimes it's difficult to know
what's holding this country together as it is.
Indeed, this country is fraying at every seam. It's
not even barely holding itself together. Nonetheless,
the United States is now responsible for it. It's
holding the baby. It's as though you broke it, you've
now bought it. They have to step up, and they have to
fix this situation somehow, that they have portrayed
in the national intelligence assessment. No matter
how grim it may be, this is what the United States is
now stuck with.
BLITZER: But can it be fixed, Michael?
WARE: That is the very great question, Wolf. I mean,
here on the ground, to be honest, to be completely
frank, it's hard to see how.
BLITZER: I think that's the bottom line of this
assessment as well. They leave out some hope over the
next 12 to 18 months, but not a whole lot if you read
it carefully. Michael, thanks very much for joining
us.
WARE: Thank you, Wolf.