Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Media Ignore Saddam's WMD Intent
newsmax. ^ | Wednesday, February 13, 2008 9:33 AM | Ronald Kessler

Posted on 02/13/2008 1:29:22 PM PST by BenLurkin

When FBI agent George Piro recently described debriefing Saddam Hussein for seven months after his capture, he disclosed that the Iraqi dictator admitted his intention to re-start his weapons of mass destruction program within a year.

That plan included developing nuclear weapons capability, according to Saddam.

The revelation should have hit Page One of every newspaper.

It would have further justified President Bush’s decision to invade Iraq, a key issue in the coming presidential election. But many in the mainstream media could not bear to hear that Bush may have done something right.

When Piro’s interview came out in my book, "The Terrorist Watch: Inside the Desperate Race to Stop the Next Attack," NBC Nightly News, Fox News, and Newsmax ran the news of Saddam’s admission, but few newspapers published a story. [Editor's Note: Get Ron Kessler's book FREE — go here http://shop.newsmax.com/shop/index.cfm?page=products&productid=548 now.]

CNN ran a story on the debriefing of Saddam but made no mention of Saddam’s plans to resume his weapons of mass destruction program, including developing nuclear capability. Instead, CNN said that what Saddam told Piro “throws more cold water on the justification for war” because Saddam admitted he was bluffing about having weapons of mass destruction.

Two and a half months later, "60 Minutes" ran the first television interview with Piro. The interview buried the reference to Saddam’s WMD and nuclear plans, as did the press release on the CBS Web site. Likewise, an AP story on the interview mentioned Saddam’s plans in the 11th paragraph. Only four U.S. newspapers ran a story referring to Saddam’s WMD and nuclear plans.

The Washington Post ran a 542-word story on the interview leaving out any mention of Saddam’s avowed intentions. The New York Times ran no story at all.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...


TOPICS: War on Terror
KEYWORDS: piro; saddam; wmd

1 posted on 02/13/2008 1:29:24 PM PST by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

what a shock.


2 posted on 02/13/2008 1:30:51 PM PST by I'm ALL Right! (Dear RNC: Not one Conservative Candidate? Not one "RED" penny)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

there’s also evidence that wmds were trucked into Syria shortly before the invasion. Not that our media is interested.

Don’t you just HATE the MSM?


3 posted on 02/13/2008 1:36:10 PM PST by kjo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

I don’t think that we could have expected anything better, considering MSM’s track record.


4 posted on 02/13/2008 1:38:56 PM PST by ANGGAPO (LayteGulfBeachClub)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Oh but of course it would be unbecoming of President Bush to just open his mouth about this, better that we should be thrown defenslesss to the leftists.


5 posted on 02/13/2008 1:40:09 PM PST by Williams
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
But many in the mainstream media could not bear to hear that Bush may have done something right.

Straight into the "Well, DUH!" file...

6 posted on 02/13/2008 2:09:11 PM PST by NorCoGOP (Stop Billary 2008! If nothing else, think of the White House sinks!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
When FBI agent George Piro recently described debriefing Saddam Hussein for seven months after his capture, he disclosed that the Iraqi dictator admitted his intention to re-start his weapons of mass destruction program within a year.

The Bush administration didn't say we went into Iraq because Hussein was going to re-start his WMD programs. They said that Hussein had already resumed the WMD programs and was preparing for attack:

"There is already a mountain of evidence that Saddam Hussein is gathering weapons for the purpose of using them. And adding additional information is like adding a foot to Mount Everest."
Ari Fleischer, Press Secretary Response to Question From Press 9/6/2002

"We don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud"

Condoleeza Rice, CNN Late Edition 9/8/2002

"Right now, Iraq is expanding and improving facilities that were used for the production of biological weapons."
George W. Bush, Speech to UN General Assembly 9/12/2002

"Iraq has stockpiled biological and chemical weapons, and is rebuilding the facilities used to make more of those weapons. We have sources that tell us that Saddam Hussein recently authorized Iraqi field commanders to use chemical weapons -- the very weapons the dictator tells us he does not have."
George W. Bush, Radio Address 10/5/2002

"The Iraqi regime . . . possesses and produces chemical and biological weapons. It is seeking nuclear weapons. We know that the regime has produced thousands of tons of chemical agents, including mustard gas, sarin nerve gas, VX nerve gas."

George W. Bush, Cincinnati, Ohio Speech 10/7/2002

"We've also discovered through intelligence that Iraq has a growing fleet of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to disperse chemical or biological weapons across broad areas."
George W. Bush, Cincinnati, Ohio Speech 10/7/2002

"Our intelligence officials estimate that Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent."
George W. Bush, State of the Union Address 1/28/2003

7 posted on 02/13/2008 2:31:01 PM PST by Ol' Dan Tucker (After six years of George W. Bush I long for the honesty and sincerity of the Clinton Administration)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kjo
there’s also evidence that wmds were trucked into Syria shortly before the invasion. Not that our media is interested.

Do you have a link to this evidence?

8 posted on 02/13/2008 2:35:59 PM PST by Ol' Dan Tucker (After six years of George W. Bush I long for the honesty and sincerity of the Clinton Administration)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: kjo
there’s also evidence that wmds were trucked into Syria shortly before the invasion.

Yup. In fact, I think Bush's absolute worst mistake regarding Iraq was that he played footsy with the UN for months, thereby providing the time Saddam needed to get the WMD into Syria.

MM (in TX)

9 posted on 02/13/2008 2:38:14 PM PST by MississippiMan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: sauropod

read


10 posted on 02/13/2008 2:41:55 PM PST by sauropod (Will Hillary bring the silver back to the Whitehouse, or is this all about finishing up the set?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson