US Senate Intel chair faults CIA chief on Iraq flap

Reuters | 7/11/03

[kattracks]

US Senate Intel chair faults CIA chief on Iraq flap

WASHINGTON, July 11 (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee criticized the CIA on Friday for "sloppy handling" of faulty information that Iraq tried to buy uranium from Africa, and specifically blamed CIA Director George Tenet.

"So far, I am very disturbed by what appears to be extremely sloppy handling of the issue from the outset by the CIA," Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas said in a statement.

He said that as late as about 10 days before President George W. Bush's January State of the Union speech, the CIA was "still asserting that Iraq was seeking to acquire uranium from Africa and that those attempts were further evidence of Saddam's efforts to reconstitute his nuclear program."

Bush included that assertion, which has now been determined to be based on forged documents, in his State of the Union speech. Critics are pointing to that as a sign the Bush administration misled the public about the threat from Iraq to gather support for the war that ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

"I have seen no documentation that indicates that the CIA had reversed itself after January 17th and prior to the State of the Union," Roberts said.

"If the CIA had changed its position, it was incumbent on the director of Central Intelligence to correct the record and bring it to the immediate attention of the president. It appears that he did not," Roberts said.

"This is not the type of responsibility that can be delegated to midlevel officials. The director of Central Intelligence is the president's principal adviser on intelligence matters. He should have told the president and it appears that he failed to do so," Roberts said.

A CIA spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

07/11/03 15:35 ET

[kattracks]

Buh Bye Tenet.

[ChicagoRepublican]

Tenet, the last of Clinton appointees, is being turned into a convenient scape goat. Let's hope he plays along and gets some sort of cushy job, like Professor at Georgetown. Unfortunately he might start firing back, and try to bury the administration. Afterall, he is the head of the CIA.

[Naspino]

Rather than go along with the DIMS on this issue the Republicans need to grow a spine and call it what it is. The only reason we even needed to include this is that the DIMS put an impossible standard in place because of their hatred for our country.

[Support Free Republic]

How about the new highway named for Clinton in his home stste of Arkansas? It's a little crooked, and has a long yellow streak down the center. Be careful if you drive on it, it's a little slick.

Manufacturers announced today that they will be stocking America's shelves this week with "Clinton Soup, to honor one of the nation's most distingushed men". It consists primariy of a weenie in hot water.

Free Republic

Your donations keep us laughing at liberals

[William McKinley]

Guess we can read this as meaning that the administration thinks Tenet is complicit in the Democrats' recent attacks.

[oceanview]

exactly right, there are alot of things that have not and should not be released about 9/11, Iraq, etc. Tenet can't be cut loose now, the time to get rid of him was 9/12/2001. Its a political attack by the Dems, the Bush team better start fighting it.

[Hans]

George Tenet has never missed an opportunity to distance
the CIA from President Bush's policies. He should either support the administration or keep his beautifully tanned mouth shut. Just go back and listen to the 'Director'
testifing before Congress since 9/11.
I have long wondered when these careerists would be
give the heave-ho, perhaps Tenet will be the first.

[Hans]

--should read--- given the heave ho.

[ImphClinton]

We just need to report the truth.

British Inteligence has asserted that Sadam has tried to obtain nuclear materials from African Nations.

[RetiredArmy]

"Rather than go along with the DIMS on this issue the Republicans need to grow a spine and call it what it is. The only reason we even needed to include this is that the DIMS put an impossible standard in place because of their hatred for our country."

Not freaking likely. Too weak.

[MJY1288]

I read this as Roberts doesn't see any evidence that the CIA was backing off on the claim, much like Tony Blair hasn't. I'm waiting for the CIA to release a declassified document showing how Saddam was trying to purchase Uranium from another African country besides Niger, AND KABOOM, the bomb has exploded in the democrats lap once again

[colorado tanker]

British Inteligence

They should have sent Bond. M's lack of faith in the double-oh's probably led to this.

[ImphClinton]

Fact is Tony Blair still asserts this. He asserts that they had this intelligence from several sources only one of which turned out to be false. At the time Blair knew this part was false as did we. But the other sources were and still are accurate according to intelligence. Blair has steadfastly to denied to blow the cover of the sources of this intelligence.

Thank God for Blair.

I believe this will blow up in the Democrats Faces after Bush returns home. Perhaps part of this trip is to see if he can bring public a source.

[William McKinley]

That's kinda what Bush said exactly in the SOTU.

[CyberAnt]

Excuse me ... the intel wasn't ours - the intel was from Britian. I don't see people picking up on that.

The President said, "According to British sources" - not our intel.

True - part of that intel has been shown to be forged documents, HOWEVER, BRITIAN SAYS THEY HAD MORE THAN ONE SOURCE FOR THE INFORMATION AND THEY ARE STICKING BY THEIR INTEL.

This is a witch hunt! That's all it is.

[Matchett-PI]

"Guess we can read this as meaning that the administration thinks Tenet is complicit in the Democrats' recent attacks."

He IS a DemocRAT isn't he?

Clinton didn't appoint anyone to high positions that wasn't a DemocRAT and didn't "play ball".

Anyhow, Rush said weeks ago (I have it on tape), "Get ready -- the CIA is preparing to blame Bush for their screw up." He said that the CIA will never admit to being wrong about anything --- EVER.

I think that a lot more high-up RATS will be leaving Congress, the State Department, CIA, FBI, etc., in disgust after Bush wins again in 2004.

After all -- it's no fun for DemocRAT "public servants" when they don't have power. Hahahaha

[CFC__VRWC]

This could get interesting real quick. Will the Rats fall in line with Senator Roberts (and in doing so basically tell Tenet to start polishing his resume), or will there be a nasty public split on the Intelligence Committee as the Rats decide to throw their suppost behind Tenet and go for the big kill?

My money's on the latter - the Rats think they've found Bush's Watergate. I'm looking forward to watching them get blowed up REAL good when this one detonates.

[rwfromkansas]

Why did my senator then say the CIA did a poor job on the matter if your interpretation is correct?

It appears he is criticizing Tenet, though he does say "if" the CIA reversed its position, which would support your theory.

But the beginning of the statement doesn't seem to jive with that.

[Anarchist]

Remember Robert Gates, the DCI nominee of GHW Bush? He was the subject of a Democrat show trial in the early 90s. Shadowy accusers. Innuendo. Character assassination.

Now, since the Democrats retain de facto control of the Senate, any DCI nominee Dubya presents will be subject to the same sort of show trial.

This is probably why Tenet was not replaced: avoidance of an ugly confirmation battle. Remember that crippling the CIA would please the Democrats.

It's probably best to keep Tenet. It could be worse, much worse.

[rwfromkansas]

Do any of your local tv stations have a talk back segment? If so, call in and say basically what post 15 says. I am tired of this crap being blown out of proportion.

Until and unless all the evidence is debunked, this is not that big of a story.