Karl Rove is a professional political operative, with a background in political dirty tricks and media spin. It used to be when Americans spoke in a derogatory way of politicians, it was exactly the Rovian-manipulator-type that they were speaking of; The "snake-oil" salesman, the BS artist.

This Republican administration engaged in a Rovian-style spin to sell the American people on the notion that Iraq was the next best step after Afghanistan in the war on terror.

The criticism is that they put a political spin on intelligence to make the case, and that having made the case, underestimated the military requirements for war in Iraq as well as its effects, thereby putting the United States and our allies in a weakened position to fight the war on terror.

The criticism is a criticism of general incompetence.