CIA Got Uranium Mention Cut in Oct.

[UpInArms]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48847-2003Jul12.html?nav=hptop_tb

CIA Director George J. Tenet successfully intervened with White House officials to have a reference to Iraq seeking nuclear materials from Niger removed from a presidential speech last October, three months before a less specific reference to the same intelligence appeared in the State of the Union address, according to senior administration officials.

Tenet argued personally to White House officials, including deputy national security adviser Stephen Hadley, that the allegation should not be used because it came from only a single source, according to one senior official. Another senior official with knowledge of the intelligence said the CIA had doubts about the accuracy of the documents underlying the allegation, which months later turned out to be forged.

The new disclosure suggests how eager the White House was to make Iraq's nuclear capabilities a part of its case against Saddam Hussein even in the face of earlier objections by its own CIA director. It also appears to undermine President Bush's forceful effort on Friday to blame the CIA for inclusion of the faulty allegations because the agency ultimately signed off on the State of the Union speech.

...more...

[Cush]

1. uh oh

this isn't good for Bush. I'd say the cover is blown, they were so concerned that they left it out in an earlier speech, but not the SOTU?

Short term memory loss???

Oh, and it looks this is on the front page, not buried in the back.

[Beetwasher]

2. OUCH! That's gotta hurt!

Just in time for the Sunday talk shows. Someone just inserted the knife very carefully into the back of the admin.

[alfredo]

5. As they say,

"stick a fork in him, he's done."

I figured that if he (the whole administration) messed with the intelligence agencies, they would not take kindly to it. I used to work for an information collecting agency. I know their pride, their loyalty to each other, the nation, and the agency. I knew when Rummy formed OSP, it was all over for this administration. You don't fuck with spooks.

[Walt Starr]

10. This is the biggest political backstab since Brutus took out Caesar

and you can quote me on that one!

[lkinsale]

3. And let's not forget THIS...

Officials involved in preparing the speech said there was much more internal debate over the next line of the speech, when Bush said in reference to Hussein, "Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production."

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, in his Feb. 5 presentation to the United Nations, noted a disagreement about Iraq's intentions for the tubes, which can be used in centrifuges to enrich uranium. The U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency had raised those questions two weeks before the State of the Union address, saying Hussein claimed non-nuclear intentions for the tubes. In March, the IAEA said it found Hussein's claim credible, and could all but rule out the use of the tubes in a nuclear program.



WTG, Walter! Ball in play!

[MoonAndSun]

4. Check out this line in the article:

A senior administration official said Bush's chief speechwriter, Michael J. Gerson, does not remember who wrote the line that has wound up causing the White House so much grief.


This is blowing up in their faces, "big time", as Cheney would say!!!

[indictrichardperle]

7. Scooter Libby ?

Bunker Dick's neo-con chief of staff and former Marc Rich attorney ?

Ill predict Scooter Libby gets called up to testify at Senate hearings.

[theodoliticus]

8. Notes from Mclaughlin & Buchanan.

"...Gerson, does not remember who wrote the line ..."

I watched Mclaughlin group tonight. Pat Buchanan was saying they should be able to figure out within half a day exactly who put that line in. Overall Buchanan said that there were elements in the government who worked to give an innacurate intel picture, he said these people need to be found and dealt with. As for chimp, he honestly believed in the uranium claim. He was tricked!! He relied on his staff to give him trustworthy intelligence. The pentagon "special group" (I think they called it) was mentioned. Condasleezie Rice was mentioned as someone who must sign off on it. I had the feeling that Condie would be a target for blame in this.

There was talk about how Chimpie just wasn't knowledgeable enough to sniff out any bad intel he was given. Wasn't his fault because he didn't know any better( too stupid ! ). They all seemed to agree on this, except Eleanor who I don't think was directly asked.

I'm pretty sure it was taped before this Wash Post article appeared.

[goforit]

6. This is impressive for the Washington Post!! Eat your heart out Faux!!

Unbelievable!!!!!!

And so fitting!!!

[hedda_foil]

9. Ooh ... a nice DEEP wound to Cheney's mechanical heart, too.

Administration sources said White House officials, particularly those in the office of Vice President Cheney, insisted on including Hussein's quest for a nuclear weapon as a prominent part of their public case for war in Iraq. Cheney had made the potential threat of Hussein having a nuclear weapon a central theme of his August 2002 speeches that began the public buildup toward war with Baghdad.

<snip>

Sweet!