McCain calls for commission to investigate intelligence mistakes

Associated Press ^ | 1/30/04

[meandog]

McCain calls for commission to investigate intelligence mistakes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Parting company with many of his fellow Republicans, Sen. John McCain said Thursday he wants an independent commission to take a sweeping look at recent intelligence failures.

The White House has dismissed the proposal, saying the CIA is committed to reviewing the intelligence behind claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. The Bush administration also argues that the weapons search is not yet complete.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., has expressed frustration with those who suggest an outside investigation is needed before his committee has a chance to complete an inquiry now underway. Senate Armed Service Chairman John Warner, R-Va., supports letting the committee finish its work.

In an interview with The Associated Press, McCain said he believes the public needs an assessment that won't be clouded by partisan division. He said he is seeking a full-scale look not only at apparently botched intelligence on Iraq's weapons capabilities, but also flawed estimations of Iraq, North Korea and Libya and the faulty assessments from other Western intelligence services.

"I am absolutely convinced that one is necessary," McCain said, "because this is a very serious issue and we need to not only know what happened, but know what steps are necessary to prevent the United States from ever being misinformed again."

Democratic presidential candidates Sen. John Edwards, Sen. John Kerry, and Howard Dean also called for an independent investigation during a debate held Thursday in South Carolina.

National security adviser Condoleezza Rice reiterated the administration's position Thursday, saying that efforts to learn the extent of Saddam's weapons arsenal are sufficient.

"No one will want to know more than the president the comparison between what we found when we got there and what we thought was there going in," Rice said on NBC's Today show.

When asked if she thought Americans have a legitimate concern about whether intelligence was manipulated to justify the decision to go to war, Rice replied, "The president's judgment to go to the war was based on the fact that Saddam Hussein for 12 years had defied U.N. resolutions" regarding his stock of weapons.

She added that the administration went to war, because Saddam "had been considered a danger for a long time and it was time to take care of that danger."

Kay and some Democrats, including Senate minority leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., have also stated the need for an outside investigation into the intelligence community. Along with the Senate inquiry, several retired intelligence officers have delivered a review to CIA Director George Tenet on the performance of the CIA and other agencies.

[meandog]

Okay...ready for flames; but he's right! And Clinton-appointed Tenent needs the boot IF the probe uncovers any sloppiness on part of CIA.

[meandog]

previous post ... sorry...

[Trueblackman]

I agree there should be an investigation into how the CIA had it's hands tied and it's funding cut in the 1990's. Our CIA had to depend on intelligence that was pasted on by other nations because of riders and amendements passed in 1990's remember the McKinney Amendement?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I'm going to call my senator and ask for a commission investigating all of the commissions in Congress! Why do we citizens believe that a senator can become an instant expert and get to the bottom of an issue, while they troll for the evening soundbite on the six o'clock news??