WHY NOT SHOW IT TO FOLKS WHO MIGHT READ AND UNDERSTAND IT?:

All 435 House Members Can See Iraq Intelligence -- and Talk on Iraq Next Week (Mike Allen, February 9, 2007, Politico)

To the surprise of the Bush administration, the House Intelligence Committee voted unanimously Wednesday night to allow all 435 House members to see the classified version of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq sent to the White House last week. The report is classified in part because it contains information about sources and methods used in intelligence-gathering.

The document will provide fuel for a House debate, scheduled to begin Tuesday, on a resolution of disapproval of President Bush's plan to boost U.S. troop strength in Iraq. Remarkably, each House member will be given five minutes to speak. The decision to provide such broad access to the microphones is based on the fact that each member got the chance to speak before the Iraq war began, according to House leadership aides.

In announcing the vote to allow all members access to the classified portion of the NIE, the committee said those examining it "will be required to review the document in the Committee's secure offices in the Capitol and sign a secrecy oath." The members will not be allowed to leave with notes, congressional sources said.

If you just put it on-line and make it openly available you might get a few readers who know the difference between Sunnis and Shi'a.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 10, 2007 4:19 PM