Posted on 06/18/2004 5:22:58 AM PDT by anita
Edited on 06/18/2004 5:30:38 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AP) - Russia gave the Bush administration intelligence that suggested Saddam Hussein's regime was preparing attacks against the United States and its interests abroad before the Iraq war, President Vladimir Putin said Friday.
Putin said he couldn't comment on how critical the Russians' information was in U.S. decision to invade Iraq. However, he said the intelligence didn't cause Russia to waver from its firm opposition to the war.
"Indeed, after Sept. 11, 2001, and before the start of the military operation in Iraq, the Russian special services ... received information that officials from Saddam's regime were preparing terrorist attacks in the United States and outside it against the U.S. military and other interests," Putin said.
"Despite that information about terrorist attacks being prepared by Saddam's regime, Russia's position on Iraq remains unchanged," Putin said.
Putin said Russia didn't have any information that Saddam's regime had actually been behind any terrorist acts.
It's entirely likely that Russia had an "asset" in the field they did not want to compromise 2 years ago. Or last year.
Asset is probably now dead or retired and Putin feels free to comment on it.
Do you read Clancy novels?
It's obvious what the media will say about this. They will say, "See, we told you Bush was lying about the WMDs." "Bush knew all along that Saddam didn't havestockpiles of WMDs."
It is no longer available from the source. I think that Meekonegop saved it.This one ?? ....
A couple more, related:
Bumping #26 for later.
Being the honorable person that he is, he let the horses mouth speak for itself, instead of him squealing.
And then anyway who would have believed him other than the bushbots. You know them, don't ya?
More detail in teh Reuters article:
Russia 'Warning' on Saddam Puzzles U.S.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5460304
ASTANA (Reuters) - Russia warned the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks that Iraq's Saddam Hussein planned to hit targets on U.S. soil, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.
Putin said Russian intelligence had been told on several occasions that Saddam's special forces were preparing to attack U.S. targets inside and outside the United States.
"After the events of September 11, 2001, and before the start of the military operation in Iraq, Russian special services several times received information that the official services of the Saddam regime were preparing 'terrorist acts' on the United States and beyond its borders," he told reporters.
"This information was passed on to our American colleagues," he said. He added, however, that Russian intelligence had no proof that Saddam's agents had been involved in any particular attack.
I guess the Democrats would have preferred to wait until Saddam unleased some WMD inside the US, before acting.
Putin also said back some time ago, that he warned Clinton many times about terrorism, and Putin was frustrated that Clinton totally ignored his warnings.
http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/putin.htm
From Newsmax:
"Thursday, Nov. 8, 2001 12:42 a.m. EST
In comments guaranteed to raise eyebrows on both sides of the Atlantic, Russian President Vladimir Putin said late Wednesday he was disappointed that ex-President Bill Clinton seemed so uninterested in combating worldwide terrorism.
"I wouldn't want to go into any assessments of my colleagues," Putin first told ABC's "20/20" host Barbara Walters in an exclusive interview.
But then the former KGB agent revealed his dismay over Clinton's attitude toward the terrorist threat.
"The former president of the United States ... was in a very difficult situation. But even at that time, we certainly were counting on a more active cooperation in combating international terrorism"
(I am sure it was in regular news media at the time too.)
Does this make me proud of Russia?
No it does not.
"Can anyone here reason why Bush didn't mention this earlier?"
I've been taking a wait and see attitude on this story. I still am but if I had to guess why the Bush administration didn't go public I'd say either they were protecting intelligence sources or wary of being burned again by using foreign intelligence (like when they got the bad information about Nigerian uranium from the British).
But we all know that Haliburton is behind this </end sarcasm>
This is awesome news. And I'm glad to see McCain come out with the president. We needed this token of unity today with the American being beheaded.
Missed this one, went to bed to early!
Yes, it's a beautiful thing. I am now looking forward to many many other wonderful things coming out of Iraq.
Putin: We knew Saddam Hussian was promoting acts of terrorism against America and we were opposed to America defending against these acts of terrorism.
Isn't this is what he is saying?
That's certainly the way I interpret it...
At the moment, I'm listening to a description of a Libya, Iraq, and North Korea nuclear plot. In October 2002 the fact that we knew of that plot was presented to Khaddafi. He caved. This is reported by John Batchelor. Putin's revelation is evidently related to this.
*L* .. you were up later then I was
Well, we have heard from Tony Blair and Putin. Pretty impressive backers for the truth about the connections.
What utter fools the pompous media that thinks they can, by ignorance or foul play, interpret events for the feeding to Americans. The same goes for the 911 commission and liberals and democrats.
They look like nimcompoops to the whole world. The New York Times Lied.
(We should mention this fact numerous times same as they do about Bush. Must be effective....The New York Times Lied, they Lied, the New York Times Lied.)
bump
Putin's Russia stood to loose a lot of $$$$ if Saddam was removed...
Oil For Food Program - Russia: The Russian state itself received 1,366,000,000 barrels. The list also included the following:
Companies belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party received 79.8 million barrels - the list notes the name of party president Vladimir Zhirinovsky. The Russian Communist Party received 1 million barrels. The Lukoil company received 63 million barrels. The Russneft company received 35.5 million barrels. Vladimir Putin's Peace and Unity Party received 34 million barrels - the list notes the name of party chairwoman Saji Umalatova. The Gazprom company received 26 million barrels. The Soyuzneftgaz company received 25.5 million barrels - the list notes the name Shafrannik. The Moscow Oil Company received 25.1 million barrels. The Onako company received 22.2 million barrels. The Sidanco company received 21.2 million barrels. The Russian Association for Solidarity with Iraq received 12.5 million barrels. The Ural Invest company received 8.5 million barrels. Russneft Gazexport received 12.5 million barrels. The Transneft company received 9 million barrels. The Sibneft company received 8.1 million barrels. The Stroyneftgaz company received 6 million barrels. The Russian Committee for Solidarity with the People of Iraq received 6.5 million barrels - the list notes the name of committee chairman Rudasev. The Russian Orthodox Church received 5 million barrels. The Moscow Science Academy received 3.5 million barrels. The Chechnya Administration received 2 million barrels. The National Democratic Party received 2 million barrels. The Nordwest group received 2 million barrels. The Yukos company received 2 million barrels. One Russian company which phonetically reads as Zarabsneft received 174.5 million barrels. Vouchers were also granted to the Russian foreign ministry, one under the name of Al-Fayko for 1 million barrels, and one to Yetumin for 30.1 million barrels. The Mashinoimport Company received 1 million barrels. The Slavneft Company received 1 million barrels. The Caspian Invest Company (Kalika) received 1 million barrels. The Tatneft Tatarstan company received 1 million barrels. The Surgutneft company received 1 million barrels. Siberia's oil and gas company received 1 million barrels. In addition, the son of the former Russian Ambassador to Iraq received 19.7 million barrels. Nikolay Ryjkov, a former prime minister of the USSR, received 13 million barrels. The Russian President's office director received 5 million barrels.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.