Tenet Admits U.S. May Have Overestimated Iraqi Weapons

[Zhade]

<SNIP>

To underscore his argument that intelligence agencies had acted independently, Mr. Tenet did note that intelligence analysts had never portrayed Iraq as presenting an imminent threat to the United States before the American invasion last March. Some Democrats, including Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, seized upon that reference as evidence that the White House had no foundation for President Bush's prewar claim that the threat posed by Iraq was "grave and gathering."

With American teams still hunting in Iraq for weapons of illicit weapons and information about them, Mr. Tenet cautioned repeatedly in his speech that it was too soon to draw firm conclusions.

But among the elements of what he called a "provisional bottom line," Mr. Tenet said intelligence agencies "may have overestimated the progress" that Iraq was making toward development of nuclear weapons. He also acknowledged that the prewar assessment that Iraq possessed stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, which remains unsubstantiated, was based in large part on reports relayed by a friendly foreign government from human sources whose information the United States has still been unable to corroborate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/05/international/middleeast/05CND-INTE.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1076004125-de3jsfW+9cKCMkBbvcRspg

[Old and In the Way]

1. An Isreali MP, according to news posted yesterday, said his

government knew the claims were bogus. How does our #1 ME ally not share this intel with us? Or did they?

[Snappy]

3. Falling on the sword.

CIA Chief falls on sword and sells out the operatives. Did anyone expect anything different?

[JohnyCanuck]

5. Israel has it's own agenda.

Why should Israel cause waves when Dubya's chomping at the bit to take out Saddam for them and open up the possibility of having Iraqi oil pumped through a pipeline into Israel again.

The OSP was an open and largely unfiltered conduit to the White House not only for the Iraqi opposition. It also forged close ties to a parallel, ad hoc intelligence operation inside Ariel Sharon's office in Israel specifically to bypass Mossad and provide the Bush administration with more alarmist reports on Saddam's Iraq than Mossad was prepared to authorise.

"None of the Israelis who came were cleared into the Pentagon through normal channels," said one source familiar with the visits. Instead, they were waved in on Mr Feith's authority without having to fill in the usual forms.

The exchange of information continued a long-standing relationship Mr Feith and other Washington neo-conservatives had with Israel's Likud party.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,999737,00.html


An Israeli daily, Ha'aretz, has reported that Israel is seriously considering restarting a strategically important oil pipeline that once transferred oil from the Iraqi city of Mosul to Israel's northern port of Haifa. Given the Israeli claim of a positive US approach to the plan, the Israeli project provides grounds for a theory that the ongoing war against Iraq is in part a joint US, British and Israeli design for reshaping the Middle East to serve their particular interests, including their oil requirements.

According to the daily, Israeli National Infrastructure Minister Yosef Paritzky considers the pipeline project as economically justifiable as it would reduce the country's cost of oil imports. This is currently very high, as Israel imports oil from Russia. There would also be a strategic justification for the project, as importing oil from an oil supplier in Israel's close proximity would increase its fuel security and would address its major handicap, that is, its total dependence on imported fuel from far-away suppliers. While living in the oil-rich Middle East, the Israelis cannot count on regional oil exporters because of the existing Arab-Israeli conflict. Prior to the 1979 Iranian revolution, Iran, which was on friendly terms with Israel, provided its oil requirements. That arrangement ended in 1979 when the new Iranian revolutionary regime cut ties with Israel.

Paritzky has requested an assessment of the Mosul-Haifa pipeline's current state, which ceased to operate in 1948. Presumably, the pipeline will require major repair and/or upgrading, if not an overhaul, as it has not been in use for more than half a century. However, its full operation, including the required repair work, needs the consent of Iraq, the would-be oil supplier, and Syria, a country neighboring both Iraq and Israel, through which the pipeline passes.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ED04Ak01.html

[lastknowngood]

2. Duah!!

n/t

[glarius]

4. The whole thrust of Tenet's testimony to day was to give Bush an excuse

for making a wrong assessment about WMDs....that was my feeling when I watched him....They are building a case to get Bush off the hook!

[Just Me]

6. Tenet is a member of the neocon cabal. He will know no suffering,...

,...unless the whole lot of them fall.

Here is my summary:

Below the radar of the American people's attention, a potentially disasterous tragedy is evolving. A faction called "neo-conservative" is engaging in despotic pursuits that endanger our democratic existence. This very tight-knit, ideological cabal presently dominates the current administration, and it is not vaguely representative of either moderate Republicans or conservatives. The "neocon's" anti-democracy actions starkly contrast with any other influential political participant across the whole spectrum with which this country has ever known.

The neocon faction's primary objective appears to have been to centralize and concentrate power under the executive branch. They have been quite successful. Part of their success may in large part be due to a well-crafted, long-term propaganda campaign aimed at diminishing the judicial branch, and at demonizing all who could arguably fall left of the political center. However, the most notable success has involved more direct avenues of usurping power.

For example, the cabal has intentionally by-passed congressional debate or oversight through abusive parliamentary actions, and pushed through legislation which would fail through normal democratic processes. Further, numerous agencies have been pulled under the umbrella of executive control via the creation of new exective offices, the most impactful being the Office of Homeland Security which is tied both into Attorney General and Secretary of Defense (which fall under the authority of the executive branch). Finally, Patriot Acts I and II (with several PAII provisions having been planted in other bodies of legislation to escape otherwise doomed failure) have disempowered common people through the suspension of liberties associated with due process, privacy and other constitutional guarantees.

If one considers the foregoing radical power-shifting to the executive, completing destroying the intentional balances imposed by our forefathers and creating the most conducive environment for another form of totalitarianism,...it is absolutely shocking. Never has our constitution, our democractic basis of government, our pursuit of freedom and liberty and real democracy been as vulnerable or threatened by a despotic body as it is today. The American people should be on high alert!!!!

I'd appreciate feedback before I submit :D

[Old and In the Way]

8. Yes, I very much agree....there's been an undemocratic

reorganizing of this government in the past 3 years. A boyking was selected to preside over the dismantling of our democracy and replaced by a board of directors.

However, the same "laws" that have been implemented could well work against them. Think about it. If Democrats can take back the Presidency and possibly the Congress, the tools are in place to assure the neo-cons own destruction. Two can play this game, perhaps, and if so, this could well be the opening to finish the investigations of the 80s (Iran/Contra) and 90s (BCCI) that will lead to the exposure, prosecution, and final repudiation of the neo-con fascists who threaten to take down our democracy.

[leesa]

7. Only by a shade...tons, millions, etc., vs none

friendly foreign government...can't imagine who that might be!