I agree with your analysis, except for that phrase. Rice said yesterday that the CIA made minor changes (deleting references to Niger and the amount of uranium), but did not advise the deletion of the statement. That's hardly "on the fence."
And speaking of the CIA, can someone explain why they chose someone with Wilson's background, Saudi connections and blatant political bias to investigate the Niger claim? They might as well have sent Terry McAuliffe.
What bothers me most about this story is no one is questioning the bad judgment -- and obvious lack of independent intelligence -- by the CIA, and why Tenent didn't jump out in front, like the head of the Australian intelligence did to protect Howard? What is Tenent's game?
CYA?