Posted on 06/18/2004 11:34:28 PM PDT by Destro
US “KNEW NOTHING” OF RUSSIAN WARNING
19.6.2004. 13:45:23
The US says a Russian warning on possible Iraqi attacks did not pass through the State Department.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russian secret services had informed Washington following the September 11, 2001, attacks that Saddam Hussein was planning to strike the United States.
The information "wasn't communicated to this building, even at the secretary's level," said State Department spokesman Adam Ereli.
"I don't, from the State Department, have any information to share with you about that, because it didn't come through us," he said.
"I would refer you to the services in question."
Mr Putin's surprise comments came just two days after a September 11 commission in Washington concluded there was no link between Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda, one of the justifications used by US President George W Bush for invading Iraq.
The Russian leader's claims apparently support Mr Bush's position.
When asked if the United States had used the Russian warning as part of its justification for going to war, Mr Ereli said, "I don't know what this information is."
He also said he did not know if the information had been communicated to US Secretary of State Colin Powell through his Russian counterpart at the time, Igor Ivanov.
Mr Powell made a long presentation before the UN Security Council on February 5, 2003 laying out an expansive list of justifications for going to war, but did not mention the Russian intelligence.
While Mr Putin said the regime of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had prepared terrorist attacks after the September 11 strikes, he did not have intelligence on specific terrorist acts by Iraqis.
SOURCE: World News
No kidding. Who exactly is, "The US"? I hardly think a few dinks at the State Department speak for the entire government.
They cannot be trusted, except to be traitors to the USA.
Psssst, keep this quiet.... the Whitehouse is aware of the "career" sentiment inside the Department of (altered) State! ;-)
LLS
That's a touch severe. How about just recertifying the use of DDT in Foggy Bottom.
Recall that the CIAs analysts decided that it was "unlikely" to be true because Iraq had already acquired a hundred tons of yellow-cake from Niger, and probably didn't need more yet. Even if correct, it is hardly reassuring, and hardly a contradiction to Bush's point.
Powell should look into the Clinton-Andrea Mitchell Stae Dept. & clean up the mess.
May be Newt.will do it in 2nd Bush term.
Perhaps if he is elected to a second term, Bush can clean up the state department.
The State Dept. is a pit.
Might explain to our Australian friends that the State Department is not the government, far from it. In fact, Most progress in the world, from the creation of Israel to the winning of the Cold War, has been made by working around the obstacles the Striped-pants Boys throw in the way.
If I were in the Executive branch and had sensitive information of this sort, I would keep it away from State also.
NEWT was right again of course, In a second term GWB will have to clean the place up.
Perhaps Rudy would be a good Sec.
Towards the end of and after the Soviet-Afghan war State and Central Intelligence were at loggerheads over who to point our aid towards. State favored Masood and other non-islamist mujas, while CIA wanted to maintain the ISI-Hekmatyr pipeline.
Points being, they often do not work the same side of the street, and just because State didn't know about it doesn't mean it didn't happen.
Both sides work out of the same Embassies, and the proximity sometimes breeds intense competition.
"The Russians have not trusted the State Dept since the Kosovo war. They fear that if Kerry becomes president the State dept will resume its drive to take away Russia's near abroad - resumed support for the Chechens, Balkan Muslim extremists, etc."
Fascinating comment Destro, has some truth to it.
Kerry will be the best friend of the Muslim extremists, unwitting or not, and an enemry to Slavic European interests and Russian power in central asia.
Unfortunately that analysis makes it possible that Putin's comments are dis-info designed to help Bush.
"Instead the statement is made to seem as if the State Dept is rebuking Bush/Putin."
Indeed, as if the State Dept thinks they run the relationship and not the leaders! ... oh, the 'arrogance' of Bush and Putin to dare confer without going through the State Dept!
Some pinhead bureaucrat heads need to roll!
If the Russians were to tell the State Department about a possible terrorist attack, the terrorists would find out we knew about their plans. I would imagine the Russians are well aware of this, which is why they didn't tell the State Dept.
LOL!
GOD HELP US ALL INDEED!
IDIOT TRAITORS AT STATE DEP have been selling us down the river for decades.
Well, I think that part is fine. The State Dept is all about communication with foreign heads of state. It's just weird that the info fell off the face of the earth thereafter.
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