Negroponte Provides Preview of National Intelligence Estimate Iraq Report

ABC News’ Kirit Radia Reports: During his ongoing confirmation for Deputy Secretary of State in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the outgoing Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte offered a preview of the upcoming classified National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, which he said would be delivered to Congress by Monday at the latest.

Negroponte said that his assessments are similar to that of the intelligence community: that success is possible though the country is at a precarious juncture where the situation could easily deteriorate. 

Negroponte identified the prospects for increased stability contingent on: Iraqi leaders establishing institutions that transcend sectarian divides, Iraqi security forces’ ability to establish control, the defeat of al Qaeda before the increase of sectarian divide, and Iraq’s neighbors stopping the flow of fighters and arms into Iraq.

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) asked Negroponte in rapid fire style if he agreed with the Iraq Study Group’s assessment of the situation, point-by-point.  Negroponte agreed that violence has increased in Iraq in the past year, that he is "hopeful" about a national reconciliation despite difficulties and that corruption in the Iraqi government is a "serious problem".