Damn Arabists

Good thing the Bush administration didn't listen to those clown in the Intelligence Community:

Months before the invasion of Iraq, U.S. intelligence agencies predicted that it would likely spark violent sectarian divides and provide al-Qaeda with new opportunities in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a report released yesterday by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Analysts warned that war in Iraq also could provoke Iran to assert its regional influence and "probably would result in a surge of political Islam and increased funding for terrorist groups" in the Muslim world.

Spencer has more. It's remarkable to recall that for a couple of years following 9/11 actual knowledge of Middle Eastern countries was considered a disqualification for offering opinions about Iraq. "Arabist" was purely a term of abuse.