Report Says Pentagon Manipulated Intel

SF Gate ^ | 02/09/07 | Robert Burns

[SoFloFreeper]

A "very damning" report by the Defense Department's inspector general depicts a Pentagon that purposely manipulated intelligence in an effort to link Saddam Hussein to al-Qaida in the runup to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, says the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"That was the argument that was used to make the sale to the American people about the need to go to war," said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. He said the Pentagon's work, "which was wrong, which was distorted, which was inappropriate ... is something which is highly disturbing."

[heavy7]

I want some of these ******* Democrat "leaders" and their "journalist" buddies in MSM to show me where Bush ever said Iraq was working with Al Qaeda to committ terrorist acts.

Well, if there was no linkage expressed, then how do you explain the fact that a large percentage of Americans back in 2003 believed the administration was making the linkage?

This poll proves it.

[Paved Paradise]

Since I read the headline so fast and they've been the hottest commodity of late, I mistakenly thought it said "Penguin Manipulated Intel."

[rjp2005]

I have to say something here, because this is really hilarious.

The writer took a story that officially exonerates Feith and slanted it completely towards Levin's agenda. He even led with Levin's own interpretation of the report!! That is hilarious.

Tell me was damning about Feith's work? Where is this in the content of the article?

[Froufrou]

" Is my recollection faulty? "

I don't think so. IIRC, any link came as the result of Saddam's failing to cooperation with UN inspections at just about the same time.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

so maybe they did. And as my senior officers used to say, "so what?"

I truly fail to see the value of debating an issue that is OBE for all intents and purposes. No one is going to change anyones mind on what they adamantly believe, regardless of facts, aerials of al queda doing push-ups in Tikrit, and other startling acts of massive inhumanity. There will be a new movie coming out called "the killing sands", starring some poor iraqi shmuck who crawled out of a dead pile of bodies and escaped. Everyone in the theater will be dabbing their misty eyes, but then realize,...."at least Bush did something, even though I hate him."

Even if a photo surfaces of OBL and Saddam looking over a Manhattan architectural mockup with the twin towers and OBL holding a Fisher Price toy plane near the towers, you won't get much mileage on trying to change peoples minds. Saddam's dead, his sons' are dead, and now that country has got to get their own act together. It will take decades, and generations of killing before they get the culture of fear and hate out of their system, if ever.

Afghanistan, however, has a better chance of success. Much better.

[Cyclopean Squid]

There were claims of a linkage. And in fact some FReepers continued to stress the point by accumulating evidence of al-Qaeda/Saddam alliance through stories published by the MSM in the late 90s through the beginning of the war.

[Dr. Frank fan]

No, but it was implied by talking about 9/11 in one sentence, and then bringing up Saddam in the next.

People who think that using the words "Saddam" in the same sentence as "9/11", regardless of what that sentence is or how it is constructed, apparently do not understand logical arguments.

The argument was that 9/11 taught us a lesson about whether threats and enemies could be allowed to fester, and Saddam was one such threat. That is a sentence containing both "9/11" and "Saddam" but anyone who thinks it accuses Saddam of having been behind 9/11 needs reading comprehension or logic skills or both.

[patj]

bump

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

There is evidence of linkage. An abundance of it.

The administration, inexplicably, downplayed the linkage. Maybe because they reached the conclusion that we'd be better received in Iraq as liberators rather than avengers, I don't know.

But the evidence is everywhere, and a good deal of it is incontrovertible. And the President has not done nearly enough to emphasize it, which in turn has enabled the left to attack this war's legitimacy with a relentless barrage of provable lies.

IMO, it has been the single greatest mistake of this war.

[EODGUY]

Thank you for the post. I am perplexed, but perhaps shouldn't be, at those who choose to ignore Saddam's ejection of the UN inspection teams (not that they were of any use, especially with the restrictions Saddam placed on them),k intell that was accumulated and the information that you synopsized in your post.

If liberals are successful in creating another Vietnam and subsequent human disaster by removing our military without allowing them to complete their mission, Syria and others will move in and go directly to any WMD's that may still be present in Iraq.....you can bet they know where they are located.

Thanks again for the post.


EODGUY

[MizSterious]

In my opinion, the link was stronger than most will admit.

[shield]

Just another LIE from the left....the report didn't state that....How dare you question our intelligence

[jveritas]

Agree 100%.

[Peach]

You're welcome. The left is intent on creating another Vietnam and tens of thousands will die as a result.

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

Much, much, much stronger.

[bnelson44]

Thanks, but this conclusion is no where near as inflamatory as the news article seems to indicate.

[MizSterious]

There is just so much evidence to the contrary--I'm disgusted with MSM for keeping it away from the public, but the administration has to take at least some of the blame. Yes, I know there were "reasons" but I'm starting to think the good of keeping it quiet has reached the point of being outweighed by the damage done--and being done--by this policy.

[PISANO]

The Saddam-Al Qaeda link was PLAYED up by the socialist left. What they did was accuse [FALSELY] the POTUS and his administration of SAYING there was a link, which they never did but by their constant shrill protestations they set up a straw man argument that eventually became accepted as truth.

President Bush NEVER said there was a link anymore than he said Saddam had a hand in 911.

What was said and is still true is that Saddam AIDED and ABETTED terrorism, was hiding WMD and was seeking Nuke capability and that POST 911 we as a NATION could NO LONGER look the other way as Saddam systematically violated every UN resolution, for 12 LONG YEARS, WHICH required PROOF that he disposed of all his WMD.