CH. ROBERTS AND Vice CH. ROCKEFELLER ISSUE STMT ON INTEL. COMM. REVIEW OF PRE WAR INTEL. IN IRAQ

Senator Pat Roberts Web Page ^

[Bush 100 Percent]

CHAIRMAN ROBERTS AND VICE CHAIRMAN ROCKEFELLER ISSUE STATEMENT ON INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE’S REVIEW OF PRE WAR INTELLIGENCE IN IRAQ WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Chairman, and Senator Jay Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Vice Chairman, of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today announced that the Committee unanimously agreed to refine the terms of reference of the Committee’s ongoing inquiry into pre war intelligence with regard to Iraq. The new terms are as follows:

[Bush 100 Percent]

This is my very first post. I have been reading the posts for a while, but when I saw this I couldn't believe it. I thought Senator Roberts was going to fight the totally partisan Rockefeller so that the Intel Committee didn't become just another source of selective "news sound bites" aka the "pull the trigger" memo .....

I have thought for some time the dems on the 911 commission were stalling in order to pull partisan news stunts close to the election or 911. I think this will be the big surprise pulled by the dems close to the election that many don't think the dems have ...

Now, it looks like they are going to succeed with the same thing on the Senate Intel committee.

I am in Wisconsin and have NO Senate input .... I can't get an email that will be read to Roberts, because I'm not a Kansan. I hope any Kansan who reads this will email him and find out WHAT IS HE THINKING? Why lose his backbone now? For a committee to be nonpartisan, the chair has to stop partisan moves, not embrace them!

[KantianBurke]

The new terms are as follows:

Republicans bend over, take it and say "please sit may I have another"

Cowards.

[texasflower]

Welcome!!

[good_ole_texas_boy]

Yep, this is the bend-over-and-grab-your-ankles party. Just as I feared, these pubbies are such a spineless lot, they make me sick to my stomach. They gave no idea what it means to be a majority party. Simply put.. no cajones

[stylin19a]

oh great...now there will be dual invesigations on the same issues.
I can't wait to see the sparks fly when this committe comes out with their results PRIOR to the election

It will take the teeth out of anything the independent commission finds for their report due the following year.

[tractorman]

So far, all of Bush’s rope-a-dope maneuvers have worked. I see this one working too.

And welcome aboard from a fellow cheesehead.

[eyespysomething]

A. The matters set forth in the joint release of the Chairman and Vice Chairman on June 20, 2003:

1.the quantity and quality of U.S. intelligence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction programs, ties to terrorist groups, Saddam Hussein’s threat to stability and security in the region, and his repression of his own people;

2.the objectivity, reasonableness, independence, and accuracy of the judgments reached by the Intelligence Community;

3.whether those judgments were properly disseminated to policy makers in the Executive Branch and Congress;

4.whether any influence was brought to bear on anyone to shape their analysis to support policy objectives; and

5.other issues we mutually identify in the course of the Committee’s review;

B. the collection of intelligence on Iraq from the end of the Gulf War to the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom;

C. whether public statements and reports and testimony regarding Iraq by U.S. Government officials made between the Gulf War period and the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom were substantiated by intelligence information;

D. the postwar findings about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and weapons programs and links to terrorism and how they compare with prewar assessments;

E. prewar intelligence assessments about postwar Iraq;

F. any intelligence activities relating to Iraq conducted by the Policy Counterterrorism Evaluation Group (PCTEG) and the Office of Special Plans within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; and

G. the use by the Intelligence Community of information provided by the Iraqi National Congress (INC).

Sen. Roberts said, “Today’s agreement reflects a refinement and to a great extent a restatement of the Committee’s ongoing review of pre-war intelligence. The resolution adopted unanimously today illustrates the commitment of all members to a thorough review, to learning the necessary lessons from our experience with Iraq, and to ensuring that our armed forces and policymakers benefit from the best and most reliable intelligence that can be collected. I believe that the report which we are currently reviewing will have a profound impact on the future of our Intelligence Community. My hope is that we be able to release our initial report soon and then continue our review as we work toward recommendations. I congratulate all members for their willingness to work together toward these goals.”

Sen. Rockefeller said, “This agreement reflects a difficult and lengthy process, but in the end, we were able to reach consensus on the need to expand the investigation into several key areas.”

“We will address the question of whether intelligence was exaggerated or misused by reviewing statements by senior policy makers to determine if those statements were substantiated by the intelligence,” Rockefeller said. “We will take a closer look at the shortfalls in our intelligence collection. We will compare prewar estimates to the situation in postwar Iraq, and we will pursue a better understanding of what role the Policy Counterterrorism Evaluation Group and the Office of Special Plans played in pre-war intelligence. There are definitely a few outstanding issues, but we’ve made a lot of progress, and it’s clear that we’re moving in the right direction.”

[eyespysomething]

Is anyone going to ask Rockefeller why he thought Saddam Hussein was an imminent threat in October 2002, but not now?

[MJY1288]

I seriously doubt they can finish the investigation before November and the truth is on our side. If the Democrats try to politicize (which I'm sure they will) this investigation, it will backfire on them. The one thing many people here forget and the media never talks about is, we have already found "Ricin" in Iraq and the last time I checked that stuff is a WMD and can leave you Grave Yard Dead.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see them find the WMD's the whole world knew they had. Ask any of the weapons inspectors that were in Iraq in the 90's, they destroyed tons of WMD's and didn't destroy all of what Saddam admitted having by the time we pulled out in 1998. Scott Ritter testified under oath at a Senate hearing, that Saddam still possessed stockpiles of WMD's in 1998

[Rudder]

Why excerpt this?

[Tacis]

The silly wimp Republicans will probably allow the dems to block any evidence, claim or problem that Willie the Traitor was connected to. The dems will piant the picture that before 1/20/2001 EVERYTHING was perfect but the day Bush took over, the world went to hell.

When were the Saudi visas issues? What did Willie's sewer dwellers do to monitor the Saudi terrorists in the country? How did they brief the new administration?

What is it with the Senate Republicans? They've completely folded on the crap weasel judiciary memos. Do the dems have pictures of a Republican retreat? Why do they refuse to stand up to the left wing?

[el_texicano]

Gives new meaning to the term GOP

GOP = Gonad-less Offensive & Pathetic

[maica]

From my reading of all the points outlined in this statement, I actually think that the Republican majority have boxed in the dems on this committee.

Senator Roberts and Senator Frist have had some quiet talks with Senator Rockefeller, I am sure.

If you want to reach your senator or any of them, just call

1-877-762-8762

Ask for the office that you want and you will be connected immediately.

[facedown]

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction." - Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002

Posturing hypocrite.

[pieces of time]

Nonsense! Take a look at the Congressional record. Look at all of the arguments for and against the Resolution to Authorize Military Force in Iraq? Do you notice ANY of these Senators questioning the Intelligence? No, even those that were against the resolution talk about UN this and UN that. They are all talking about WMD and how evil Sadaam will use them. Where did they get their Intelligence? If Bush "manipulated" Intelligence so did the SELECT Senate Intelligence Committee. And if they didn't get their own briefings from CIA, DIA, and NSA they don't belong on the Committee or in Congress. That's what we should be yelling about. This is B.S.!

[maica]

Get a grip, Facts! You sound defeated!

Who is in the White House? How did he make it in 2000? By being weak? He knows his enemy - the DNC/dominant media - and he is playing them like a fish on a line.

Remember all the whining in the fall of 2001 about going after Osama - all of a sudden - whoosh - Taliban gone - Afghanistan stabilizing.

I could go on but no need - just replay in your mind any specific "quagmire" of your choice, and then see how the Bush admin seemed to get through it and control another situation.

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Jay Rockefeller is a cipher.

Amazing such a dullard can make a living at anything.

[nightowl]

I sent emails today blasting my two Senators from Texas, Cornyn & Hutchison. I let loose & gave them an ear full about the intelligence & Judiciary Committees. I called them weasels, cowards & how much the Republicans completely disgust me. It burns me up just thinking about it. I told them they had a demoralized base & they deserved to be in the minority because by there actions, that's where they seem to be most comfortable. I also said they had been ambushed by the liberal Democraps & they had surrendered faster than the French. You can get a real flavor of my emails. I suggest you all do the same.

[TheEaglehasLanded]

THAT'S A GOOD ONE