cia admits bush knew saddam had no weapons of mass destruction

retired_ks reddy · 09-06-2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fat Bhoy Tim:
Must say, quite surprised Tenet just kept his mouth shut and allowed himself to be shot down. I can at least respect that, not wanting to undermine his President and administration in public.

Seems more likely he believed WMD would be found. He had more opportunity than anyone to push for belief in Sabri privately, and didn't.

retired_autumn · 09-06-2007, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by birdy123:
As unsurprising as it is, it is still shocking that he knew yet still risked so many lives by sending them on a wild goose chase.

I seriously doubt, in his own mind, he knew there were no WMD's. In fact,

Quote:

Bush's response was to call the information "the same old thing." Bush insisted it was simply what Saddam wanted him to think.

Bush just deflected away any of the bad facts and hoarded the good ones. Which is still his MO.

Lots of people do that. They hear something they don't want to believe and go, "Pfft. That's bull****."

retired_ks reddy · 09-06-2007, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by super_imps:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by Sir Bert Preast:
I wouldn't have trusted either. My decision would've been based on stuff like this.

Quote:

Dr Taha studied plant toxins at the University of East Anglia, between 1980 and 1984.

We're all so proud :***) </BLOCKQUOTE>

And we still allow citizens from mad dictatorships to study today. Can't appear racist or infringe their human rights, you see?

retired_justin05 · 09-06-2007, 06:05 PM

Can't help but feel those political ramifications would be a big issue so he had to believe those WMD were there. He would have been given supporting evidence that the WMD existed because he wanted that intelligence. I don't think he thought ahhh **** it I'll attack and no one will care when they find out I lied. I think that's part of the reason he could convince others because he actually believed.

retired_rachelst · 09-06-2007, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Daaaaave:
at this point, I'm more surprised this information is getting out prior to bush leaving office.

there are a number of surprising revelations in this and I hope some of them can get discussed rather than more smug one-liners and general mongery.

I'm surprised tenet never said anything to powell. and that tenet took the fall on this without ever dropping dime.

I'm surprised blair got completely hooked and mi6 couldn't find any contradictory information of their own (since I'm sure they were also in contact with french intelligence).

Didn't Powell get ****ed off afterwards and leave the administration?

I suppose MI6 had their own bad intelligence as well with Niger and all. 9/11 had the sentiment with the Yanks anyway.

Also was 'curveball' codenamed after he was found out? apt.

One more thing, Iraq had used chemical weapons before, so a strong reason to convince that they still had them.

retired_selvinel · 09-06-2007, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sir Bert Preast:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by Fat Bhoy Tim:
Must say, quite surprised Tenet just kept his mouth shut and allowed himself to be shot down. I can at least respect that, not wanting to undermine his President and administration in public.

Seems more likely he believed WMD would be found. He had more opportunity than anyone to push for belief in Sabri privately, and didn't. </BLOCKQUOTE>

The fact he toed the party line in public well after the event suggests so. But when it comes to half the stuff that goes on in intelligence circles, you're through the looking glass with most of it.

retired_ks reddy · 09-06-2007, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Daaaaave:
maybe the most sort of objectively interesting thing in all this is bush's charisma. tenet was a clinton appointee and bush still got him to roll. powell a man of immense reputation and bush still got him to roll. all down the line in the build up to the invasion, the people that you would think would be unmoved by bush's reckless singlemindedness ended up falling in line.

it's easy to say that everyone in politics is tainted, and therefore not to be trusted, but I honestly dont believe that. there were good people in the state department, the cia, the military...all throughout the government that either fell in line or stayed silent. it makes you wonder what kinds of pressure they were under that you don't know about.

What kind of pressure? Many were wealthy enough, so are you saying death or framing for long terms in prison?

retired_justin05 · 09-06-2007, 06:08 PM

and I also don't think it's even that relevant that he was actually wrong.

retired_ks reddy · 09-06-2007, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheCranker:
Can't help but feel those political ramifications would be a big issue so he had to believe those WMD were there. He would have been given supporting evidence that the WMD existed because he wanted that intelligence. I don't think he thought ahhh **** it I'll attack and no one will care when they find out I lied. I think that's part of the reason he could convince others because he actually believed.

Quite apart from the other reasons to dispose of Saddam. That's why I think he believed in the WMD.

retired_princesspouty · 09-06-2007, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sir Bert Preast:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by Daaaaave:
maybe the most sort of objectively interesting thing in all this is bush's charisma. tenet was a clinton appointee and bush still got him to roll. powell a man of immense reputation and bush still got him to roll. all down the line in the build up to the invasion, the people that you would think would be unmoved by bush's reckless singlemindedness ended up falling in line.

it's easy to say that everyone in politics is tainted, and therefore not to be trusted, but I honestly dont believe that. there were good people in the state department, the cia, the military...all throughout the government that either fell in line or stayed silent. it makes you wonder what kinds of pressure they were under that you don't know about.

What kind of pressure? Many were wealthy enough, so are you saying death or framing for long terms in prison? </BLOCKQUOTE>
I think if the alternative is that Bush's charisma won them over, it sounds more practical.

As Daaaave says - the whole government either toed the line or kept schtum - which is something I do find odd given events and revelations since.

cia admits bush knew saddam had no weapons of mass destruction

Grab a beer, sit back and relax.

cia admits bush knew saddam had no weapons of mass destruction