NIE stands for National Intelligence Estimate1. NIEs are the unified assessment of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies. An excerpt from today’s NIE on Iraq:
The Intelligence Community judges that the term “civil war” does not adequately capture the complexity of the conflict in Iraq, which includes extensive Shia-on-Shia violence, al-Qa’ida and Sunni insurgent attacks on Coalition forces, and widespread criminally motivated violence. Nonetheless, the term “civil war” accurately describes key elements of the Iraqi conflict, including the hardening of ethno-sectarian identities, a sea change in the character of the violence, ethno-sectarian mobilization, and population displacements.
Via TPMmuckraker, where one commenter says, “I believe the word they are seeking is ‘clusterf*ck.'”
1
National Intelligence Estimate (NIE)-These reports are the DCI’s most authoritative written judgments concerning national security issues. They deal with capabilities, vulnerabilities, and probable courses of action of foreign nations and key developments relevant to the vital interests of the United States. NIEs are produced at the national level by the NIC and are issued by the DCI with the approval of the NFIB. NIEs are designed to identify trends of significance to national security and, when relevant, differences of views among the principal intelligence officers of the US Government. Presidential Summaries of NIEs are prepared for the President, Vice President, and other key executive officers.