'THEY ALSO SPIED ON BLIX'

Sky News ^ | 2-27-2004

[Prince Charles]

'THEY ALSO SPIED ON BLIX'

The UN bugging row has escalated with fresh allegations that former chief weapons inspector Hans Blix had his mobile phone tapped in Iraq.

Another senior UN inspector, Richard Butler, has also revealed that he knew he was being bugged.

The scandal was sparked by former minister Clare Short's claim that British agents spied on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in the run-up to war in Iraq.

She made the allegation after the case against GCHQ employee-turned whistleblower Katharine Gun was dramatically dropped on Wednesday.

The Australian media are now reporting that the US, Britain and their allies shared information gathered from tapping Mr Blix's mobile phone.

An Australian intelligence source claimed Blix's mobile phone was monitored and his conversations recorded while he was in Iraq before the war.

"The transcripts were then made available to the United States, Australia, Canada, the UK and also New Zealand," said Andrew Fowler, an ABC investigative reporter.

He did not say who tapped Blix's phone.

Blix, 75, who headed the UN inspectors from 2000 to mid-2003, was in Iraq for months before the war looking for evidence that Saddam Hussein was developing a weapons programme.

No weapons of mass destruction have yet been found.

Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday insisted that British intelligence services "always act in accordance with domestic and international law".

Last Updated: 08:56 UK, Friday February 27, 2004

[Prince Charles]

Blix couldn't find his arse with both Hans!

[mewzilla]

All I can say is I'd've been bloody mad if we hadn't!

[plain talk]

These same liberals that are outraged over this spying are the same ones whining about the intelligence deficiencies w.r.t Iraq. That goodness we currently have grown-ups running this country instead of brainless lawyers.

[Prince Charles]

The U.N. has been a dumping ground for spies and operatives ever since it was formed. This is a tempest in a teapot being stirred up by Eco-nuts, Bush-haters and antiwar miscreants.

[mewzilla]

Heh heh. I don't think the UN will be a problem for the foreseeable future.

[optimistically_conservative]

Gee, the Left complains about intelligence failures all over and also about intelligence "successes."

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

It would be hysterical if we were bugging the Iraqis who were bugging Blixie. So, in a round-about way, we were collecting intel on Blixie.

Of course, bugging the Iraqis and Blixie would make more sense to know if Blixie was being bugged by the Iraqis. But that's probably over the head of most Lefties.

Oh, and I'd hate to think we were spying on the spies in the UN. I mean, that might be considered counter-intelligence intelligence.

You've got to wonder if the Lefties don't laugh themselves to sleep over their propaganda hiding their subversiveness.

[mewzilla]

I don't think they're laughing now, though.

I think they're desperate.

[Redcoat LI]

"Blix couldn't find his arse with both Hans!"

and a flash-lite.

[cripplecreek]

Its good to know.

[Just mythoughts]

Remember Bill Clinton told us we should follow Blixed, before Blixed told us what to follow, at the UN.

Wonder if bill -n- blixed were caught plotting and planning?

[steplock]

They spied pn Koffi - they spied on Blix - Hell! They even spy on the USA - So what else is new? This is common practice and, in fact, it would be treasonous NOT to spy on all of your enemies. Well...at least stupid not to.

[Prince Charles]

I would be willing to bet that the NSA makes it a priority to know about every phone call at the U.N., regardless of the parties involved.

[Just mythoughts]

I would not limit it to the UN proper.

Something sure has got the lying liberals spooked and they keep saying they can't see the President's INTEL.

[bonfire]

"All I can say is I'd've been bloody mad if we hadn't!"

Ditto to that!!!

[Ann Archy]

Since Butler KNEW he was being taped and didn't do anything, well........actions speak louder than words.

[Just mythoughts]

Wonder who was bugging Ritter? ... US, Russia, France Germany ..... saddam.... No didn't Ritter claim Israel was spying...

Got a whole lot of spying going on out there...

[KC Burke]

The Spin continues.

Many general readers won't think through the incorrect usage of the word "tapped" which hearkens back to cutting wires and climbing poles. It is also meant to invoke ideas of stateside prohibitions for such actions without warrants.

The truth is that collecting such conversations, which another poster points out were of interest as much for the party on the other end as for Blix, is plain intelligence gathering outside the US.

But to frame it as intelligence gathering in and about a country in violation of UN mandates we were charged with upholding doesn't give it the spin the World Socialist Government crowd would like.

To them, all action by the US is a problem. Too much intelligence and not enough intelligence are all the same. What they really detest is our ability and duty to act.

The leftist mind wants Central Will to be in control. That Will is always then only truly expressed by the Anointed (Sowell's term) and the Anointed is never someone with plain American virtues.

By undercutting the formative process for action, they wish to delegitimize the action itself. A feat they can't do when the Twin Towers and the tortures of Saddam stay in the mind of the reader. Instead, they invoke memories of imagined excesses of the McCarthy era and other similar bete noirs.

[Durinda]

Hear, Hear KC! I've got too many European "friends" lambasting me and my American-ness, so I'm never as quick with the highly analytical and accurate refute as you were. These days I just cut to the chase, and spell it out that this is a war of mass consciousness and we find ourselves on opposite sides of a very barbed fence - lit, fig, 110/240 etc. etc.

Bottom line is that if either of these "whistle-blowers" had been on our side of that fence, they would have kept their freakin' state secret. Only traitors and defectors in governments have causes that need a whistle blown. You know, like Rolf at the end of Sound of Music. Americans have merely to be more careful in future about who they call "friends". It's not as many as they currently believe.

[Jeff Chandler]

Koffi Anan...sounds like a twelve step program for caffeine addicts.

[lilylangtree]

I'm guessing that's why Iraq went down so quickly. Ole Blixey played fast and loose with Sodamn and the sucker got caught. Could explain why Blixey boy was so anti-coalition forces.