Ex-Aide: Powell Misled Americans

cbs ^ | 10-14-03

[wheelgunguru]

(CBS) The person responsible for analyzing the Iraqi weapons threat for Colin Powell says the Secretary of State misinformed Americans during his speech at the U.N. last winter.

Greg Thielmann tells Correspondent Scott Pelley that at the time of Powell’s speech, Iraq didn’t pose an imminent threat to anyone – not even its own neighbors. “…I think my conclusion [about Powell’s speech] now is that it’s probably one of the low points in his long distinguished service to the nation,” says Thielmann.

Pelley’s report will be broadcast on 60 Minutes II, Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Thielmann also tells Pelley that he believes the decision to go to war was made first and then the intelligence was interpreted to fit that conclusion. “…The main problem was that the senior administration officials have what I call faith-based intelligence,” says Thielmann. “They knew what they wanted the intelligence to show. They were really blind and deaf to any kind of countervailing information the intelligence community would produce. I would assign some blame to the intelligence community and most of the blame to the senior administration officials.”

Steve Allinson and a dozen other U.N. inspectors in Iraq also watched Powell’s speech. “Various people would laugh at various times [during Powell’s speech] because the information he was presenting was just, you know, didn't mean anything -- had no meaning,” says Allinson.

Pelley asks, “When the Secretary finished the speech, you and the other inspectors turned to each other and said what?” Allinson responds, “’They have nothing.’”

Allinson gives Pelley several examples of why he believes Iraq didn’t have weapons of mass destruction. One time, he was sent to find decontamination vehicles that turned out to be fire trucks. Another time, a satellite spotted what they thought were trucks used for biological weapons.

“We were told we were going to the site to look for refrigerated trucks specifically linked to biological agents,” Allinson tells Pelley. “…We found seven or eight [trucks], I think, in total, and they had cobwebs in them. Some samples were taken and nothing was found.”

[zook]

I have no doubt this man (Powell's accuser) is a lying bastard. Note the use of the word "imminent."

[Support Free Republic]

 

	Keep Our Republic Free Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER and say THANKS to Jim Robinson! IT'S IN THE BREAKING NEWS SIDEBAR THANKS!

[arete]

I'm glad to see that honerable people are finally beginning to speak up and tell the truth.

Richard W.

[cake_crumb]

I thought it was Bush who was misleading Americans through his use of the words "should we wait until the threat is imminent" in order to make us think the threat WAS imminent. Oh yeah, Tony Snowe shot that down pretty well. So now it's Powell what done it.

In other news of the left's attempts to manufacture scandals against the Bush administration, does anyone know whom Wilson has shortlisted to play him and wifey in the TV movie he drools for?

[JennysCool]

Ho hum. The guy's another leftover Clintonoid. Google him. Probably on Clark's payroll at the moment. These people get more transparent every day. Luckily I think they're running out of them.

[soozla]

A CBS desperate attempt to beat this "no imminent threat" to a pulp. How can these people show up on national TV and say this crap with a straight face????? Especially after the Kay report has been publicized!!

[Brilliant]

This is why Republicans cannot rely on Democrats to staff their teams. Clinton had the right idea. Fire all of the prior party's staff, all the way down to their travel agents.

[cake_crumb]

"Allinson gives Pelley several examples of why he believes Iraq didn’t have weapons of mass destruction"

I personally would rather listen to Kay. The unclassified report is chilling enough. It should make anyone with a few functional brain cells to rub together very afraid.

[q_an_a]

want to see what it takes for the state department to be cleaned out? try telling Powell he is an uncle tom. that is not going to help the arab and socialists leaning old guard. say good night gracie.

[woofie]

New York City, Sept 10, 2001...no imminent threat here

[zook]

That's right. Bush, Cheney, and a number of other honerable people are finding their voice. Powell will be next, after this latest aid & comfort effort by CBS and its stooges.

[zook]

make that "honorable."

[alnick]

How can these people show up on national TV and say this crap with a straight face?????

The same way Tom Daschle can write a book in which he "credits Gore with acting in the nation’s best interests by not challenging the results of the 2000 election."

[Tunehead54]

Pentagon, WDC, Sept 10, 2001...no imminent threat here.

---

All's quiet here too. Wanna go get a beer?

[geedee]

Ho hum. The guy's another leftover Clintonoid. Google him.

Yikes! Great advice, Jenny. I Googled the sucker and he's left of Teddy "Swim for it" Kennedy. He left the State Department in 2002 and has, apparently, been earning a good living bashing GW ever since.

CBS . . . Can't Believe Shi . . . uhhhh cacca on this network. I don't curse in front of FReeper ladies but you get the drift of what I think of CBS and Scott "Rabbit" Pellets.

[Dolphy]

Steve Allinson and a dozen other U.N. inspectors in Iraq also watched Powell’s speech. “Various people would laugh at various times [during Powell’s speech] because the information he was presenting was just, you know, didn't mean anything -- had no meaning,” says Allinson.

Another gutless wonder. It was the inspectors who had nothing. Had Saddam cooperated, had he shown where various weapons had been destroyed and made even a half-ass effort to provide a credible report to the UN this war wouldn't have happened.

[concerned about politics]

I have no doubt this man (Powell's accuser) is a lying bastard. Note the use of the word "imminent."

That's what I was thinking when I read it, too. Why wait for imminent? Then it's too late !!!
Is this a Clinton hold over, BTW?

[Wayne07]

Pat Robertson was right...

[Miss Marple]

Imminence Front alert!!