Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) says yes, release it …

U.S. Representative Pete Stark (D-CA) today responded to news reports about the April 2006 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE). Representing the consensus judgment of the United States’ intelligence community, the report concluded that the War in Iraq had increased the threat of terrorism.

“Our intelligence agencies acknowledge what President Bush and Republicans in Congress deny,” said Stark. “The Republican response to 9/11 has made us less secure. The War in Iraq is increasing the likelihood of an attack on American soil. If the White House disagrees, it should review the National Intelligence Estimate and make public either a complete or a redacted version of the report.”

“Shortly after the war began, the administration eagerly declassified parts of a prior intelligence estimate on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction,” continued Stark. “Why do Republicans refuse to do so now? Might silence indicate complicity?”

Have you called your member of Congress? Which side are they on?

Major General Batiste says the same thing …

The conduct of the Iraq war fueled Islamic fundamentalism across the globe and created more enemies for the United States, a retired U.S. Army general who served in the conflict said on Monday.

The views of retired Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste buttressed an assessment by U.S. intelligence agencies, which intelligence officials said concluded the war had inspired Islamist extremists and made the militant movement more dangerous.

The Iraq conflict, which began in March 2003, made “America arguably less safe now than it was on September 11, 2001,” Batiste, who commanded the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq in 2004-2005, told a hearing on the war called by U.S. Senate Democrats.

The people on the inside apparently think the same thing. The president just won’t let them speak.

Is this the straw that broke Macaca’s back?

As you’ve probably heard, Larry Sabato, establishment political analyst and election forecaster, was on Hardball tonight. And he said whether Sen. Allen’s denies it today or not, Allen did use the N-word in college. Here’s a short video of the exchange in question. (Both men graduated from UVA in 1974.)

You’ll remember that just this morning, Allen pointedly denied reports in Salon that he was a regular user of the racial epithet in college.

Late Update: You can see the full segment here from MSNBC. See it all, Sabato says a lot more, none of it good for Allen.

Another witness comes forward about George Allen’s apparently habitual use of the N-word. This guy talked to the Times.

(ed.note: As it happens, this actually isn’t the new revelation I referred to earlier. That one’s still coming.)

Late Update: Okay, that wasn’t the report I was referring to. But the report I got wind of turns out to be about the same new witness. This one’s at TNR.

Is he welcome at the party? Sen. Roberts (R-KS), chairman of the senate intel committee, says release the Iraq/Terrorism NIE.

More bad news for Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens (R) and his son, as the FBI builds a bridge to indictment. That and other news of the day in today’s Daily Muck.

Sens. Durbin and Schumer call for briefing on April NIE.

Sure, Katherine Harris is going down in November. But how many Florida Republicans will she take with her?

Uh oh. New Quinnipiac poll shows Rick Santorum down by 14.

The Allen campaign is trying to respond to Larry Sabato’s charges last night. (Sabato went to college with Allen and says Allen isn’t telling the truth when he says he never used the N-word in college.) But not with a response from Allen himself. Allen’s campaign strategist Chris LaCivita tells the AP: “Larry is obviously relying on words he heard from someone else. We believe it’s completely inaccurate.”

Unless something has changed in the last day or so, Allen’s running for senate. So I doubt he can himself avoid getting asked about Sabato.

When he does, in print or on video, let us know.