Former United Nations weapons inspector Scott Ritter argues that "the misrepresentation and distortion of fact carried out by President Bush and Prime Minister Blair is no joke, but rather represent an assault on the very fabric of the concept of a free and democratic society which they espouse to serve." US Congressional investigation, Ritter says, should focus on the actions of the Bush administration in shaping the intelligence agencies' estimates to be consistent with the political objectives of the administration's Iraq policy-makers.