Merit Seen in Claims That Iraq Sought Uranium(?deal with isn't buy uranium

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-uranium15jul15.story

Merit Seen in Claims That Iraq Sought Uranium(?deal with isn't buy uranium)

British and U.S. panels say there was evidence that the Hussein regime tried to deal with Niger.
By Doyle McManus Times Staff Writer July 15, 2004

WASHINGTON — In reports released during the last week, U.S. and British panels sharply criticized their two governments for making ill-founded claims about Iraq's efforts to build weapons of mass destruction — claims that were the central rationale for the U.S.-led invasion of the country in March 2003.

But on at least one hotly debated issue — Iraq's purported interest in buying uranium from the West African nation of Niger — the two governments may have been on stronger footing than generally believed, both investigations found.<snip>

But on the issue of Hussein's interest in nuclear weapons, the commission said, "The British government had intelligence from several different sources" indicating that Iraqi officials sought to buy uranium from Niger in 1999.<snip>

The Senate report quoted a written CIA warning to the White House three months before the speech: "The Africa story is overblown…. We differed with the British."<snip>


The Senate committee report questioned Wilson's account on several issues. Wilson has maintained that his wife did not suggest him for the mission to Niger, but the committee found that she did, noting that another CIA official said Plame had "offered up his name."

"That's just false," Wilson said in a telephone interview Wednesday. He said he was preparing a written rebuttal to the Senate report.

A senior intelligence official said the CIA supports Wilson's version: "Her bosses say she did not initiate the idea of her husband going…. They asked her if he'd be willing to go, and she said yes," the official said.<snip>


The CIA's summary of Wilson's 2002 mission said he reported that an Iraqi delegation had attempted to start trade discussions with a former prime minister of Niger and that the former prime minister believed the Iraqis were after uranium.

"That's legitimate," Wilson said Wednesday. "But the administration's assertion was that Iraq had attempted to buy uranium, and what I reported didn't support that."

[mstrsplinter326]

1. Iraqi officials sought to buy uranium from Niger in 1999

That justifies their threat in 2003?

Moreover...

Doesn't that mean we must invade NK, Pakistan, India, Niger, Iran, every ex-USSR satallite nation with missiles, China, and England because they have or attempted to obtain nuclear weapons?

Smells like a story drummed up for support by the WH or someone connected with the WH.

[papau]

2. True - indeed - the only quote "improve commercial ties" isn't buy U232

Seems the former Trade fellow who was unreliable per CIA, read the "improve commercial ties" as a secret start of an attempt to buy Uranium.

And I have a bring to sell you in New York!

But our media seems to be buying the Bush/Novack/Fox News defense of the day!

:-)