Intelligence report: Iraq prospects bleak

Thursday, September 16, 2004 Posted: 12:16 PM EDT (1616 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A highly classified National Intelligence Estimate assembled by some of the government's most senior analysts this summer provided a pessimistic assessment about the future security and stability of Iraq.

The National Intelligence Council looked at the political, economic and security situation in the war-torn country and determined -- at best -- the situation would be tenuous in terms of stability, a U.S. official said late Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

At worst, the official said, were "trend lines that would point to a civil war." The official said it "would be fair" to call the document "pessimistic."

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/09/16/us.iraq.ap/index.html

And we're right in the middle of it.