Iraq Findings Leaked by Cheney's Aide Were Disputed

[Jon8503]

By DAVID E. SANGER and DAVID BARSTOW - Published: April 9, 2006

WASHINGTON, April 8 — President Bush's apparent order authorizing a senior White House official to reveal to a reporter previously classified intelligence about Saddam Hussein's efforts to obtain uranium came as the information was already being discredited by several other officials in the administration, interviews and documents from the time show.

A review of the records and interviews conducted during and after the crucial period in June and July of 2003 also show that what the aide, I. Lewis Libby Jr., said he was authorized to portray as a "key judgment" by intelligence officers had in fact been given much less prominence in the most important assessment of Iraq's weapons capability.

Mr. Libby said he drew on that report, the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, when he spoke with the reporter. However, the conclusions about Mr. Hussein's search for uranium appear to have been buried deeper in the report in part because of doubts about their reliability.

The new account of the interactions among Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney and Mr. Libby was spelled out last week in a court filing by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor in the C.I.A. leak case. It adds considerably to a picture of an administration in some disarray as the failure to discover illicit weapons in Iraq had undermined the central rationale for the American invasion in March 2003.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/washington/09leak.html?hp&ex=1144641600&en=bc85efcb03b580b2&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[HereSince1628]

1. I think this is an interesting part of the story. The leak used the same

lie to try to cover a lie. Talk about mendacious.

[wryter2000]

2. The real Fitzmas

Many of us, including me, were disappointed when Libby was the only one indicted and "only" on five counts. I still tended to trust that Fitz was doing his job, but I was still disappointed that it appeared that most of the scum in the WH were going to get away with it.

From all the links I'm seeing here (just look at the home page!), it appears that he's been quietly and methodically putting together a comprehensive picture of a huge, illegal conspiracy. In contrast to the statements we got before the first Fitzmas that weren't official, what we're seeing now are public court documents. I think the real Fitzmas Eve is upon us. If so, I hope I can shake the man's hand someday.

[cain_7777]

3. Fitz had to keep things on the Down-low

Fitz is very proffesional, and as we are slowly seeing, that he is very methodical too. He is the perfect person to do this job because he is taking his time and not rushing. Earle indicting Delay, is a little rushed and DeLay is jumping on the few mistakes made thus far. Fitz on the other hand is slowly nailing the coffin shut on these bums in the White House.

[wryter2000]

4. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[paineinthearse]

5. General forum...where we can't see the forest for the trees.

How is it that the readers of this forum have seen fit to grant this worthy post a grand total of just 4 replies and two "greatest" nominations?

I thank the admins for seeing fit to place it on the home page.