I agree with your post Eugene, but I'm not convinced that President Bush didn't know the truth, or he most certainly did not care enough to challenge what he was told.  

As a Governor, President Bush wanted legislation condensed to a page, he had no patience for detail.   Having others do the bulk of the work can be a successful leadership style - if you pick the right advisors.   Dick Cheney and the American energy cartel were all Bush knew, it's what he lived, his Achilles heel was his trust in the wrong people.    You could literally see Pres Bush 'lift' in spirit when he gave Cheney and the NeoCons the snub after the last midterm election.