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Politicization of Intelligence: Lessons From a Long, Dishonorable History by Patrick Eddington - Tuesday September 1st, 2015 at 9:34 AM: "The actual politicization of intelligence occurs subtly and can take many forms. Context is all-important. Well before March 2003, intelligence analysts and their managers knew that the United States was heading for war with Iraq. It was clear that the Bush administration would frown on or ignore analysis that called into question a decision to go to war and welcome analysis that supported such a decision. Intelligence analysts — for whom attention, especially favorable attention, from policymakers is a measure of success — felt a strong wind consistently blowing in one direction. The desire to bend with such a wind is natural and strong, even if unconscious."

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Today's Headlines and Commentary   by Quinta Jurecic Tuesday September 1 st , 2015  at  9:51 AM Lawfare - Hard National Security Choices 1 Share ISIS fighters have partially destroyed the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel , continuing the group’s path of destruction across the ancient city of Palmyra. Earlier this month, the militant group detonated Palmyra’s Temple of Baalshamin, the  Wall Street Journal   reminds us . However, the Syrian antiquities chief  told  the  Guardian  that the temple appears to remain still standing at least in part, though other experts have been unable to assess the full extent of the damage. As the battle against ISIS grows increasingly complicated, it’s worth taking a step back and  tallying just how many conflicts have spun into the orbit of the anti-ISIS fight . The BBC is here to help with a rundown  of the “four wars and counting” currently roiling the Middle East: coalition forces versus ISIS, Iran versus the G