Decoding Mr. Bush's Denials
What do we know?
There were no WMDs in Iraq before the war. They weren't moved out or hidden, either. (2004 Report of the Iraq Survey Group).
The Bush Administration said there were. See the long list of quotes in my previous post.
Bush had intelligence that said there was little evidence of nuclear weapons development in Iraq. The National Intelligence Estimate of October 2002 was released (in part) by the Bush Administration after the full occupation had found no evidence of WMDs. A note in the NIE from the State Department's INR said there was little evidence of nuclear development in Iraq and that the intelligence other agencies were using was known to be bogus.
The Bush Administration pressured intelligence agents to change their reports on WMDs. We had testimony before Congress during the Bolton confirmation hearings that John Bolton had tried to transfer or dismiss an agent who wouldn't change his report on Cuban WMDs to suit the Administration's position. We also know that Cheney had unprecidented meetings with the CIA. His meer presence amounts to pressure.
Contrary to what Bush says, Congress didn't have access to the intelligence that the Bush Administration did. In the first year of the administration, they had the CIA change the rules as to who in Congress was cleared to receive secret reports, limiting this priviledge to eight leaders. Given that ALL intelligence is collected and analyzed by the Exectutive Branch before going to Congress, the information Congress received was easily shaped to fit whatever message the Bush Administration wanted them to see.
The Bush Adminstration acted to stamp-out any and all opposition to their claims of Iraq WMDs. Valerie Plame was one victim. We know Libby and Rove were directly involved, and it's starting to look like Cheney, Rice, and Hadley had knowledge of the attack. When it takes so much effort to keep a story up, the story is probably a lie.
There were no WMDs in Iraq before the war. They weren't moved out or hidden, either. (2004 Report of the Iraq Survey Group).
The Bush Administration said there were. See the long list of quotes in my previous post.
Bush had intelligence that said there was little evidence of nuclear weapons development in Iraq. The National Intelligence Estimate of October 2002 was released (in part) by the Bush Administration after the full occupation had found no evidence of WMDs. A note in the NIE from the State Department's INR said there was little evidence of nuclear development in Iraq and that the intelligence other agencies were using was known to be bogus.
The Bush Administration pressured intelligence agents to change their reports on WMDs. We had testimony before Congress during the Bolton confirmation hearings that John Bolton had tried to transfer or dismiss an agent who wouldn't change his report on Cuban WMDs to suit the Administration's position. We also know that Cheney had unprecidented meetings with the CIA. His meer presence amounts to pressure.
Contrary to what Bush says, Congress didn't have access to the intelligence that the Bush Administration did. In the first year of the administration, they had the CIA change the rules as to who in Congress was cleared to receive secret reports, limiting this priviledge to eight leaders. Given that ALL intelligence is collected and analyzed by the Exectutive Branch before going to Congress, the information Congress received was easily shaped to fit whatever message the Bush Administration wanted them to see.
The Bush Adminstration acted to stamp-out any and all opposition to their claims of Iraq WMDs. Valerie Plame was one victim. We know Libby and Rove were directly involved, and it's starting to look like Cheney, Rice, and Hadley had knowledge of the attack. When it takes so much effort to keep a story up, the story is probably a lie.
posted by Reuel at 10:28 AM
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