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About this quote

What does it mean?
The speaker admits disappointment upon learning that weapons of mass destruction were not found in Iraq.
In plain terms
I was sad to find out the weapons were not there.
What can you take from it?
Accept outcomes that contradict expectations.

Where it applies

  • intelligence gathering
  • war justification
  • public accountability

Putting it to work

  • evaluating intelligence
  • communicating findings
  • learning from errors

Questions to consider

  • What should have happened before the war?
  • How do you handle bad intelligence?

Another view

Admitting error late can damage trust with the public.

More from George W. Bush

  1. I hear there's rumors on the internets [pause] that we're going to have a draft. We're not going to have a draft, period.

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  2. Our health care system is the envy of the world.

    Permalink to quote #160

  3. I believe it is the job of a President to confront problems, not pass them on to future Presidents and future generations.

    Permalink to quote #157

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