[Peace-discuss] "We have the proof" on Iraq, intelligence pros tell Bush

[patton paul]

I'm not sure what to make of this.  I found it on Capitol Hill Blue's
website yesterday, but have yet to see it confirmed anyplace else.

CHB Investigates. . .
"We have the proof" on Iraq, intelligence pros tell Bush
By DOUG THOMPSON
Jan 24, 2003, 01:25

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U.S. intelligence professionals, under pressure from the Bush
administration to provide proof needed to justify war with Iraq, say they
now have documented Saddam Husseins weapons of mass destruction as well as
the location of hidden chemical weapon warheads.



The documentation, shared for the first time with the White House on
Thursday, provides much of the material the administration needs to launch
an attack on Iraq.



While proof positive of the existence of weapons of mass destruction is
now available, the U.S. is still working to provide a documented link
between Hussein and Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda terrorist who
masterminded the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in
New York and the Pentagon outside of Washington, DC.



We have most of the pieces of the puzzle in place, an FBI source confirmed
to Capitol Hill Blue late Thursday. Most of this has come together in the
last 36 hours but we now feel comfortable telling the President we can
document both the existence and location of weapons of mass destruction in
Iraq.



Part of the proof has come from UN Inspectors at work in Iraq through
documents obtained at the homes of two nuclear physicists in Iraq. The
documents clearly show an ongoing program to develop nuclear weapons in
clear violation of the cease fire agreement that ended the Gulf War.



U.S. officials, however, are concerned the weapons inspectors found the
documents last week, yet Dr. Hans Blix, head of the inspections team,
failed to notify the U.S., Britian or France during briefings.



"The information was in the hands of the inspectors but we had to find out
about it through other, independent sources," an FBI source said.



Although Bush has claimed publicly he does not need proof of either the
existence of such weapons or a link between Hussein and bin Laden to
invade Iraq, leaders in his own party have urged him privately to slow
down until the proof was in hand.



Its full speed ahead now, a White House aide said in a relieved tone on
Thursday. We are going to war.



Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was urging caution with Iraq,
signaled his acceptance of the new information Thursday in a press
conference with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. Powell said he saw
no need for further weapons inspections in Iraq before launching an
invasion.



The Secretary is convinced now that we have satisfied our need to prove
our case, said a State Department source.



Senior Pentagon military planners are also said to be withdrawing their
reservations about the war, reservations based on their belief the U.S.
had not yet documented its case against Iraq.



Military leaders were briefed by the CIA and FBI on Thursday morning and
told Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld they are behind the President
when he gives the order to attack.



Things are falling into place, says retired intelligence analyst Ronald
Blackstone. Just 48 hours ago, there were still too many loose ends. Now
they are getting tied together. Thats how intelligence works. You keep
digging until you find the facts and then you document your case. The
intelligence community was under pressure because the administration had
moved before everything was in place. It looks like they might luck out on
this one.



Capitol Hill Blue learned Powell shared the information with British
Foreign Secretary Straw shortly before their joint press conference on
Thursday and that Prime Minister Tony Blair had also been briefed by U.S.
officials earlier in the day. The administration still must decide what
and how much information to share with reluctant allies like France and
Germany but White House sources predicted both would be on board by the
time an attack is launched in February.



U.S. officials are not sure how to deal with what they now feel is the
UN's reluctance to share what they have found. Although inspectors have
admitted finding warheads capable of carrying chemical and biological
weapons, they have failed to discose the more damaging discoveries.



"If the UN is not forthcoming, it will increase the liklihood the
administration will simply bypass them and proceed against Iraq on our
own," says on administration source.



Theres not a lot of trust of the UN within the Bush administration, says
political scientist George Harleigh. It might not be feasible to share
sensitive information with them or to depend on what they tell us.



Blackstone says the U.S. might not be able to share much of the
information because it might compromise U.S. assets in Iran.



You cant risk your sources of information. Plus, ideally, they would like
to firm up the al Qaeda link, says Blackstone. But that is really a moot
issue at this point. Documenting the existence of weapons of mass
destruction means Hussein is in violation of the terms of his surrender in
Desert Storm. That, in reality, is all the U.S. and its allies need to
launch an attack.



Still, France has threatened a UN Security Council veto is the U.S. asks
for resolution specifically authorizing an attack. China and Russia have
also said they have reservations about an invasion.



Powell, however, is optimistic of support when it is needed.


When the time comes, I dont think we will have to worry about going it
alone, he said.

 Copyright 2003 by Capitol Hill Blue

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__________________________________________________________________
Dr. Paul Patton
Research Scientist
Beckman Institute  Rm 3027  405 N. Mathews St.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign  Urbana, Illinois 61801
work phone: (217)-265-0795   fax: (217)-244-5180
home phone: (217)-328-4064
homepage: http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ppatton/index.html

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.  It is the
source of all true art and science."
-Albert Einstein
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