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

Fri Jan 24 19:57:51 CST 2003

This is a piece of satire, Paul... I hope.

Valerie

On Fri, 24 Jan 2003, patton paul wrote:

> 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
>
> Email this article
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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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