Posted on 08/05/2008 12:24:50 PM PDT by KC Burke
Snip-- CIA director George J. Tenet regarding the publication of “The Way of the World,” by Ron Suskind:
... the book is seriously flawed.
One supposed “news” item from the book apparently asserts that British intelligence had a high-placed Iraqi source who convincingly told them before the start of the war that Iraq had no WMD and that the British relayed this to the United States. As Mr. Suskind tells it, the White House directed (and CIA allegedly went along with) burying that information so that the war could go ahead as planned. This is a complete fabrication. In fact, the source in question failed to persuade his British interlocutors that he had anything new to offer by way of intelligence, concessions, or negotiations...
Snip-- The second nugget involves a supposed order from the White House to me at the CIA to have my staff fabricate a letter connecting Iraq with Al Qa’ida and the attacks of 9/11. Suskind says that CIA was directed to get an Iraqi official to copy the bogus information in his own hand — and then cause it to be leaked to the media.
There was no such order from the White House to me nor, to the best of my knowledge, was anyone from CIA ever involved in any such effort.
It is well established that, at my direction, CIA resisted efforts on the part of some in the Administration to paint a picture of Iraqi-Al Qa’ida connections that went beyond the evidence. The notion that I would suddenly reverse our stance and have created and planted false evidence that was contrary to our own beliefs is ridiculous.
Snip-- I suppose he had a story that fell into the category of: “too good to check.”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
That new Suskind book is being touted today as the great source for mounting the next Bush impeachment effort.
You know the drill -- Bush Lied -- People Died.
“There was no such order from the White House to me nor, *to the best of my knowledge*, was anyone from CIA ever involved in any such effort.”
Interesting partial denial. Either he knows the letter is genuine, or he has carefully answered this question without saying so.
CYA if you think about it how much could have gone on without him knowing every little detail.
Him saying that is probably SOP to every answer he gives when dealing with his subordinates after all the crap they pulled behind everyone’s backs for political reasons.
Using the term “to the best of my knowledge” is simply prudent and is SOP in politics today.
yeah, just in the context of a smoking-gun type letter it seemed to indicate a lack of confidence in the letter. As you note, I may be reading too much into it. It would depend on part if this type of hedged answer is typical for tenet, something I don’t know.
If they’re going to impeach Bush, perhaps that would get Nancy to turn the lights back on. Also, she’ll have to jet back and get a move on. These things can take awhile.
..... and more dignified than “I don’t recall”, I can’t remember”, “I have no recollection”, etc, etc, etc, etc.
I use that phrase sometimes in my day to day business dealings because I may have a brain fart once in a while.
WHAT are Bush Derangement Syndrome addicts like Suskind going to do with themselves after this coming January? Their withdrawl pains are going to be intense.
Hmmm...just finishing Doug Feith's "War and Decision" and he appears to have a different story. He said that the CIA downplayed interpretation of evidence supporting an Iraq-Al Queda connection while overemphasizing WMD evidence which was slim.
BTW, WMD was only 1 of the many reasons that the US decided to invade Iraq. While proscribed weapons and programs were found, including everything saddam needed to restart his nuke program including intent, we did not find weapon stockpiles and percursors that he admitted having and were cataloged. The left needs this to be ignored, hence the mantra "No WMD" must be repeated often enough until it becomes the truth.
One of the administration's weaknesses is their unwillingness to confront this propaganda.
In the context of a “smoking gun letter,” where’s that letter? “Somebody I know saw the gun. He said it smoked. I don’t know where it is.”
That’s a strong a denial as any former head of a 10,000 person organization full of secretive people including operatives for the Demagogue Party can make.
After Plamegate, especially, no one can assert categorically that there were not people in the CIA fabricating documents to make the WH look bad.
If there is anything to this Suskind drivel, which I seriously doubt there is, it would have to do with another set-up operation against the WH, ala the “forged documents” pertaining to Niger uranium that came from Italy.
“After Plamegate, especially, no one can assert categorically that there were not people in the CIA fabricating documents to make the WH look bad.”
Indeed, the political activism of the CIA is quite disturbing, and this is just on a narrow range of a topic we have gleaned some public knowledge.
What else have they done to influence US politics?
or “It depends what the meaning of “is” is...
Yep. The Special Prosecutor is always lurking....
You mean like the Clinton gang used to say when they were being questioned?
And harder for a Special Prosecutor to use...
Alter Kaker has a thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2056952/posts?page=1
about this new book.
I am in the middle of Feith’s book myself.
You are right, the CIA isn’t portrayed as the sharpest knife in the drawer.
I hope to see John Gibson on Fox be all over this new book with its allegations. He had Suskind on his radio show, all buddy-buddy when the One Percent Doctrine was out and instead of blasting him, gave him a free pass saying he liked the book’s allegations.
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