The CIA doubted the Niger story because Iraq already HAS uranium ore

[NNN0LHI]

It was a set-up by someone to discredit the US. And Chimpy was stupid enough to fall for it. Russia maybe? Don

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usintel0711,0,5728369.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines

CIA Doubted Uranium Report

Washington -- The CIA "from day one" was highly skeptical of reports that Iraq had been shopping for uranium ore in Africa, and the State Department also was highly suspicious, according to intelligence officials.

A key reason for the CIA's skepticism, according to a senior intelligence officer, was, "What do they need this for? They've got tons of it already in Iraq."

Yet in an October National Intelligence Estimate the CIA understated its suspicions while the State Department, in a lengthy dissent in back of the 80-page report, concluded that the claims were probably bogus, the intelligence officials said. It was that document the White House says it relied on for a passage in President George W. Bush's State of the Union address in January. The White House conceded this week that the document was based on forgeries.

The National Intelligence Estimate, a special report on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction that reflected a consensus of the intelligence community, repeated a claim published by the British government in the previous month that Niger had "planned to send" uranium ore to Iraq. The estimate also mentioned that there were other bits of intelligence suggesting that Iraq had been shopping for the ore in two other African countries.

more

[annagull]

1. AHHHAAAHHAAHHAAAA!!!!!!!

Are we through the looking glass now?! So they already had it, why buy it! Well, that pours cold water on alot of the shit coming out tomorrow. Geez, I can't keep up with this--it's like space mountain---you don't know which direction the rollercoaster will take you since you are in the dark!

[Barney Gumble]

2. Why did it take so long for somebody to mention this?

[patdem]

3. Of course all that 'yellow cake' that was looted

by golly I think we have something here!!

[w13rd0]

4. Yep, remember...

...the reports of the facilities being looted, and drums sealed by the IEAE (and still sealed btw), being turned over and having their soupy yellow liquid dumped out...

[LifeDuringWartime]

5. what?!?!

goddamn, people are stupid


mmm...dontcha just love the smell of uranium ore in the morning? :puke:

[sandnsea]

6. October 2002 CIA - Iraq - Key Judgments

Here's a link to a CIA report on Iraq. http://www.fas.org/irp/cia/product/Iraq_Oct_2002.htm

I'm looking for the unclassified national intelligence estimate, I know I've seen it, just can't find it right now.

Notice in this report all of the probably's, mights, and coulds. Also note, any time they refer to something Iraq had or what the UN said Iraq had, that's based on very old information. There is very little new or substantive in any of these reports if they're read carefully. Like Senator Graham said today, you have to take a grammar lesson. Take them apart word by word, sentence by sentence, and figure out exactly what information they're referring to. As a quick read, they sound quite informative, taken apart piece by piece, they're nothing.

[NNN0LHI]

7. Hardly ever bump my own posts. Making an exception for this one

Sorry.

Don

[Dudley_DUright]

8. Not just the IAEA was saying the aluminum tube reports were bogus

Among the reports, the senior intelligence official said, was that Iraq was seeking to purchase aluminum tubes and ring magnets to manufacture centrifuges for enriching the uranium. These claims, too, have been challenged by nuclear experts and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which say the specification for the tubes indicate they were intended to be used in manufacturing rockets.

The nuclear experts cited here include the majority opinion of senior weapons experts at our own national laboratories (who of course were completely ignored by BushCo). The IAEA had the yellowcake in Iraq under seal, but lacking inspections, it would have been easy for the Iraqis to siphon off some of this supply. However, even if they did, it is very very difficult to enrich natural uranium to get it to weapons grade (higher ratio of U-235 to U-238). The Iraqis had no viable way to enrich this yellowcake.