CIA braces itself for criticism over 9/11 and Saddam's weapons

[CShine]

America's intelligence community - stripped of its two most powerful officials involved in the fight against terrorism - is bracing itself for a barrage of criticism over its failure to prevent the September 2001 attacks and its claim that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. At least two high-level reports are expected to direct scathing criticism at the Central Intelligence Agency, whose director, George Tenet, resigned last week.

The CIA is mired in controversy about its role in gathering flawed information about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein and its failure to detect and prevent al-Qa'ida's plan to attack New York and Washington. James Pavitt, who heads the agency's covert operations, also said he was leaving.

As observers in Washington continue to assess the extent to which Mr Tenet left by choice, staff at the agency's headquarters in Langley, Virginia, are awaiting two reports due to be released in weeks. Both are expected to castigate the agency and its senior leadership.

A draft of one report - the Senate Intelligence Committee's highly critical investigation into the flawed estimates on Iraq's WMD - was passed to the CIA three weeks ago. Congressional sources have said the report identifies titles and positions of a number of people it believes were at fault. Mr Tenet reportedly told President Bush it was a "slam dunk" certainty that Saddam possessed WMD. Later this summer the independent commission investigating the attacks of 11 September 2001 is due to release its findings. These are also expected to criticise the agency for not following up on evidence suggesting that al-Qa'ida was planning to attack US targets with aircraft.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=528707

[leesa]

1. Let 'er rip!

[Zhade]

6. This isn't good.

They're blaming the CIA for the "bad intelligence" on WMD - when it was Rumsfeld's OSP that KNOWINGLY LIED in creating that intelligence.

Not even KPFK's "Free Speech Radio News" here in Santa Monica reported on the OSP, instead taking the same 'blame-the-CIA-and-ignore-the-OSP' line as the corporate media.

I was so frustrated I almost started crying.

WHEN will people learn the truth about this?

[Ernesto]

11. I'm with ya on this one zhade

I e-mailed NPR about OSP's role in shoving cooked "intelligence" down Tenet"s throat. These assholes should NOT get a pass!

[Gloria]

2. I sure hope someone points out the "cherry picking" by the

Bushitas....otherwise, all that went before (Richard Clarke,etc) may just be conveniently forgotten............and Bush will be off the hook in the eye of the doofus public....

[bemildred]

3. Bring it on! nt

[Media_Lies_Daily]

4. This should REALLY open the leak floodgates!

[Just Me]

5. GO FOR IT!!!!!

The "Patriots" versus the "Despots" of the BFEE and company!!!

I have NO DOUBT who will WIN this particular "shadow war".

Bring the corrupt predators of the "American Dream" and "Beacon Nation of Hope",...DOWN!!!

The old politicos will die at the mercy of the young visionaries (the Bible says so *smile*).

:kick:

[FreakinDJ]

7. Cheney's Office of Special Plans is responsible

Why blame the CIA? Because they let it happen to America without sounding the alarm?

We need to bring it to the attention of every American that is was the OSP leading the charge in the bad Intel

[KeepItReal]

8. PRECISELY!! Put the heat on CIA and FBI while OSP is ignored...

Will be interesting to see how the real intelligence CIA and FBI professionals (not the political appointees) respond. Actually, we'll probably never know what they will do or are doing to set the record straight.

[FreakinDJ]

10. It will be interesting to see if the New CIA will cover for Cheney

Tenet and Pavitt were definitely the "Fall on swords" type of loyalist. But what of the next in line CIA officials?

Will Bush's falling numbers and severely questionable re-election efforts draw out some ambitious CIA hopefuls. Clearly life time intelligence officers exist in the CIA now that know the expression "New broom sweeps clean".

They might be the ones to openly say "Those weren't our analyst on Iraq Weapons of Mass Destruction". "We knew Chalabi was not to be trusted and told the administration". "We advised the president clearly on the threat of 911".

[teryang]

9. This is a bunch of smoke

It obfuscates the real nature of the 911 enablers. The FBI is the agency primarily responsible for the "failures" of intelligence in defending this country. The problem is those weren't failures of neglect but deliberate acts of blocking the agencies investigative and counter-intelligence functions for political reasons ordered from above. The FBI field offices were basically on top of a number of investigative leads which were shut down by the central office.

This obstruction of investigative and intelligence functions is still going on as we speak. The gag on Sibel Edmonds is a perfect example, this originates with Ashcroft himself since his flunkies were unable to silence her. Congress and the 911 Commission have done nothing with evidence of government and corporate complicity provided by Edmonds behind closed doors. FBI director Mueller is an active conspirator. Another example is the obstruction of the Anthrax investigation by the FBI. Another is the curtailment of the money laundering/ weapon purchases for Pakistani sponsored terrorists by an official of Deutchebank AB, this investigation revealed to the FBI in 1999 that a plot to destroy the towers was underway again. Another is the concealment of AMR and UA put options "speculators" before 911 at Deutchebank AB.

Take a look at Sibel Edmonds heavily censored interview by Peter Hogue conducted under a Justice gag order:

Sibel Edmonds interview: Jim Hogue

http://baltimorechronicle.com/050704SibelEdmonds.shtml



While the OSP involvement in manipulation of intelligence data and assessments concerning Iraq is undeniable, it is also undeniable that Tenet provided the support for Powell's gross misrepresentations at the UN. The analytic side of the CIA and State really understood the shortcomings of the coming Iraq war as a policy option, but their leaders weren't interested in good advice, they wanted war.

There is also a serious question about direct aiding and abetting of the 911 terror plot by members of the US government, and agents of Pakistan, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. I maintain that this involves a certain amount of active complicity by the CIA on the operational side. One need only observe the details surrounding Mohammed Atta's Florida support system and the curious circumstantial ties of the
Florida based terrorists to an individual from AMI which experienced the first anthrax fatality to realize that this is an intelligence black operation. Airport security was compromised by a company controlled by Israeli agents and FAA security was compromised by a Saudi operated information technology firm.

I think the thing that is most appalling is the circumstantial connections of Graham, and Goss to the conspiracy. They met with the Pakistani ISI paymaster of Mohammed Atta shortly before the 911 attacks. These Senators are well known to the intelligence community and supposedly in an oversight capacity. This is evidence that the entire democratic political process is rotten to the core.

I remember a former intelligence official telling me, none of what you say about our intelligence agencies could be true, we have strict congressional oversight. Nothing could be further from the truth.