Posted on 04/03/2005 12:35:53 PM PDT by Pendragon_6
'Crazy' Iraqi spy was full of misinformation, says report
An alcoholic cousin of an aide to Ahmed Chalabi has emerged as the key source in the US rationale for going to war in Iraq.
According to a US presidential commission looking into pre-war intelligence failures, the basis for pivotal intelligence on Iraq's alleged biological weapons programmes and fleet of mobile labs was a spy described as 'crazy' by his intelligence handlers and a 'congenital liar' by his friends.
The defector, given the code-name Curveball by the CIA, has emerged as the central figure in the corruption of US intelligence estimates on Iraq. Despite considerable doubts over Curveball's credibility, his claims were included in the administration's case for war without caveat.
According to the report, the failure of US spy agencies to scrutinise his claims are the 'primary reason' that they 'fundamentally misjudged the status of Iraq's [biological weapons] programs'. The catalogue of failures and the gullibility of US intelligence make for darkly comic reading, even by the standards of failure detailed in previous investigations. Of all the disproven pre-war weapons claims, from aluminium centrifuge tubes to yellow cake uranium from Niger, none points to greater levels of incompetence than those found within the misadventures of Curveball.
The Americans never had direct access to Curveball - he was controlled by the German intelligence services who passed his reports on to the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon's spy agency.
Between January 2000 and September 2001, Curveball offered 100 reports, among them the claims of mobile biological weapons labs that were central in the US evidence of an illicit weapons programme, but subsequently turned out to be trucks equipped with machinery to make helium for weather balloons.
The commission concluded that Curveball's information was worse than none at all. 'Worse than having no human sources,' it said, 'is being seduced by a human source who is telling lies.'
Although the defector has never been formally identified, it appears he was an Iraqi chemical engineer who defected after UN inspectors left the country in 1998.
In the aftermath of the US-led invasion, Iraqis whom Curveball claimed were co-workers in Saddam's alleged biological weapons programme did not know who he was. He claimed he'd witnessed a deadly biological weapons accident when he was not even in Iraq when it was meant to have happened. After September 2001, his claims were given greater credibility despite the fact that he was not in Iraq at the time he claimed to have taken part in illicit weapons work. His information was central to an October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate that concluded Iraq 'has' biological weapons, and was widely used by President Bush and Dick Cheney to make their case for war.
It now appears there were problems with Curveball from the start, but the intelligence community was willing to believe him 'because the tales he told were consistent with what they already believed.'
In May 2000 doubts about his credibility surfaced when he was examined for signs that he had been exposed to biological agents. While the results were inconclusive, a US official was surprised to find Curveball had a hangover and said he 'might be an alcoholic.' By early 2001, the Germans were having doubts of their own, telling the CIA their spy was 'out of control'.
But warnings were dismissed. Intelligence analysts who voiced concern were 'forced to leave' the unit mainly responsible for analysing his claims, the commission found. At every turn analysts were blocked by spy chiefs and their warning never passed on to policy-makers.
The commission's report is unlikely to renew confidence in America's intelligence network as it attempts to uncover evidence of WMDs in Iran and elsewhere. The report concludes that US intelligence agencies remain poorly coordinated, have resisted reform and produce 'irrelevant' work.
I though "Curveball" was one of four sources supplied by the BND.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/EB05Ak02.html
We used Ted Kennedy to justify the war?
Is this a Ted Kennedy thread?
We relied on Jac Chirac?
They say there are 0.1 billion micro-organisms living inside your mouth at any time, and it appears as though they have taken up residence on Teddy's lower jaw.
Good article, you reference. I am sure we shall now see much said, especially by the liberal media as what a failure Bush was concerning the interpretation of the data provided by the CIA etc.. What we may never read about, or only years later are the facts, that now cannot be presented. Names of agents that currently cannot be disclosed etc., for reasons of national security and protecting double agents etc.. Nothing new hear. Curveball will be used by the left to show how badly the CIA operated. However we will hear nothing about spitball, slowball, fastball, and shitball who may have provided timely accurate data on many of the issues regarding WMD manufacturing etc., by the Iraqis. Grind those teeth, bark bark hiss. Libs, have your fun for a time.
Just my comments no response neccessary.
I just feel like that the administration has basically conceeded this issue. I don't know why during the campaign, they didn't make a more vigorious defense.
Ping
I could tell this was from the Guardian just by looking at the title.
Wow, look how much red still comes through on his face even after all that make-up. The teeth still need some work.
but the intelligence community was willing to believe him 'because the tales he told were consistent with what they already believed.'
Rather like the liberals and 'no WMD found'.
I voice quite similiar sentiments at this point in time. In a way it is a small wonder the Kurds have gone along with things as well as they have. Guess they are bidding their time. Obviously one main thing that is critically needed is for some truly national level individual to emerge that will expond the virtues of a united Iraq, for all the people, that can somehow gain acceptance by most of the country. They obviously have a long road ahead of them. Sure hope it works for not only their sakes but for the region as a whole.
Please do not feel obligated to respond. This thread may go dorment quite soon as all do.
"I just feel like that the administration has basically conceeded this issue. I don't know why during the campaign, they didn't make a more vigorious defense."
Perhaps in the end analysis, the POTUS and his main advisors felt no matter what they say, the L/MSM will either give it little attention or malign his words. People such as Trudy Rubin are experts at writing carefully versed counter punches, that can appear to be so neutral to many but underline the ability of the libs to convince the hords with their versions. Say as little as possible to keep the hounds off your back. Like Ronny used to do. Let the press yell out questions to you while you stand inside the prop watch of your chopper, say "hea" can't hear ya bub, slip em a finger and continue working your way toward the whitehouse entrance. We must remember the knashing of teeth that went on prior to the election. The drunken hatred spouted from so many lib senators etc.. It is small wonder the POTUS did not snap and order a company of willing Marines to run in and just mow the dumb asses down and be through with them already!
Time will expose the truth. I find it very hard to believe that only one drunk was responsible for all our incoming intel. It is absurd to believe. We must not forget all those years leading up the the statue toppling. The continued defiance of all those UN Security resolutions, the known dealings to obtain a stream of weapontry from the Eastern block, French, Germans etc.. Who is shitting who? The real truths that cannot be brought out currently, due to security and things like protecting agents etc., surely are at play. So the dimbo Guardian and US L/MSM will have a field day writing stuff with the knowledge that little will be said to try to counter it. Right? And in so doing so, once again gain the attention of the masses. The masses will believe just about anything the media present them. And will assume since the administration says nothing to counter, that it all must be true. That's my take on the matter. Do not feel obligated to respond at this late date. Surely we shall continue posting like articles as time goes by.
HAHA it's from the Guardian, what do you expect...it makes the New York Times look like a conservative publication...
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