Dems Urge Probe of Iraqi Uranium Claim

AP ^ | 07/08/03 | DEB RIECHMANN

[Pikamax]

Dems Urge Probe of Iraqi Uranium Claim 1 hour, 54 minutes ago Add White House - AP to My Yahoo!

DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Democrats pressed for deeper investigation of pre-war U.S. intelligence efforts Tuesday after the White House admitted President Bush (news - web sites) had erred in his State of the Union speech when he said Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had tried to buy uranium in Africa.

As weeks have passed with the American search turning up no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (news - web sites), criticism has been building concerning assertions the administration made as justification for the war.

"This is a very important admission," said Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota. "It's a recognition that we were provided faulty information. And I think it's all the more reason why a full investigation of all of the facts surrounding this situation be undertaken."

Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, also said that the development underscored a need for more investigation.

"The reported White House statements only reinforce the importance of an inquiry into why the information about the bogus uranium sales didn't reach the policy-makers during 2002 and why, as late as the president's State of the Union address in January 2003, our policy-makers were still using information which the intelligence community knew was almost certainly false," Levin said.

Michael Anton, a spokesman for the White House's National Security Council, said in a statement, "We now know that documents alleging a transaction between Iraq and Niger had been forged."

Anton also said the documents were not the sole basis for Bush's contention is his speech that "the British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."

The spokesman said that when Bush made the speech in January, there was other intelligence indicating that Iraq had tried to acquire uranium from several countries in Africa. This other information, however, was not detailed or specific enough to prove such a contention, he said.

"Because of this lack of specificity, this reporting alone did not rise to the level of inclusion in a presidential speech," Anton said. "That said, the issue of Iraq's attempts to acquire uranium from abroad was not an element underpinning the judgment reached by most intelligence agencies that Iraq was reconstituting its nuclear weapons program."

On June 8, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites), too, had said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Bush was wrong when he said the British government had learned that Iraq had sought uranium from Africa to build weapons.

"No one in our circles knew that there were doubts and suspicions that this might be a forgery," she said. "Of course, it was information that was mistaken."

The latest White House statement followed assertions by an envoy sent to Africa to investigate allegations about Iraq's nuclear weapons program. The envoy, Joseph Wilson, said Sunday that the Bush administration manipulated his findings, possibly to strengthen the rationale for war.

Several investigations are under way in Congress, but Democrats said much more was needed.

Rep. Janice Schakowsky (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois called for an independent, non-congressional inquiry.

"Did the Bush administration knowingly deceive us and manufacture intelligence in order to build public support for the invasion of Iraq?" she asked. "Did Iraq really pose an imminent threat to our nation?"

Democratic lawmakers hoping to replace Bush in the White House were vehement. Calls for more investigation came from Sens. Bob Graham of Florida and John Kerry of Massachusetts and Reps. Richard Gephardt of Missouri and Dennis Kucinich of Ohio.

"George Bush's credibility is increasingly in doubt," Graham said. Gephardt asserted, "This president has a pattern of using excessive language in his speeches and off-the-cuff remarks."

Said Kerry, "The Bush administration doesn't get honesty points for belatedly admitting what had been apparent to the world for some time — that emphatic statements made on Iraq were inaccurate."

A British parliamentary commission also has been questioning the reliability of intelligence about Iraq trying to obtain weapons of mass destruction.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) insisted Tuesday that he was right to go to war and that weapons of mass destruction would be found in Iraq.

[mewzilla]

You'd think the Dems would be running out of feet by now...

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[cardinal4]

Dont the Levins, Daschles, Clintons and the rest of the Dem whiners have more important things to do? Like maybe try and get an issue, instead of attack, attack, attack, all the time? Sheesh...

[Recovering_Democrat]

Waaa waa. What is to "probe"? The WH has said the info was inaccurate. Nothing has been indicated that the WH believed the info to be verifiably wrong, merely disputed.

Additionally, the President did not make the uranium connection a key linchpin in his case against Iraq. So to say suggest an investigation into such a point is fruitless.

Iraq and her regime constituted a threat to her neighbors, the region, the USA and the world. The rhetoric and past actions of Iraq and her regime were consistently belligerent and threatening. The world community, through the United Nations, had demanded 14 times Iraq and her regime account for her weapons. Iraq and her regime had violated the agreement that brought about the truce of the Gulf War.

To suggest an "investigation" into one line is tantamount to accusing the administration of purposely deceiving the American people and our allies. If the Democrat Party and the sycophants in the press want to go that route, they're welcome to do so. At their own electoral peril, that is.

[buffyt]

Well if the CIA lied to the president, I don't see why the demobrats should question President Bush!!!!!!!!!!!!

[buffyt]

But THAT would take brains, which they do not have!

[mewzilla]

And if Saddamn wasn't buying his uranium from Africa, does this mean he wasn't buying it elsewhere? And would Congress like to guaran-darn-tee that...?

[Pikamax]

"To suggest an "investigation" into one line is tantamount to accusing the administration of purposely deceiving the American people and our allies."

forget that, the left is saying everyones intelligence group was wrong about everything, let them probe and it will give them something to keep busy with.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

".. followed assertions by an envoy sent to Africa to investigate allegations about Iraq's nuclear weapons program. The envoy, Joseph Wilson, said Sunday that the Bush administration manipulated his findings, possibly to strengthen the rationale for war."

When is some conservative talk show host or writer, going to start delving into the agenda of Joseph Wilson? I never saw the guy on tv, before the war,where he wasn't trashing the administration and applauding Saddam. He seemed to be to the left of Susan Sarandon and Michael Moore.All this hysteria is based on his findings and his allegations. By all means,let's investigate,but,don't confine it just to the intel agencies, Joseph Wilson must also be included.Oh and here's the title of a lecture he delivered this past Jan 22, at UC Santa Barbara :
IRAQ LECTURE
4 p.m., Campbell Hall
Former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson speaks on "Iraq: Disarmament or Conquest? The Case against Regime Change"

[CFC__VRWC]

Well if the CIA lied to the president, I don't see why the demobrats should question President Bush!!!!!!!!!!!!

If nothing else, this could provide President Bush with a fine opportunity to get rid of George Tenet and the rest of the Clintonoids infesting the CIA.

[Tom Bombadil]

- Democrats pressed for deeper investigation of pre-war U.S. intelligence efforts

This brings a big smile to my face.

If they owned the house or the senate, they would be calling Meryl Streep to testify on Intelligence failures but they can't because they don't own any real estate in congress right now. This is whining and it sounds so good to hear them cry.

[Recovering_Democrat]

the left is saying everyones intelligence group was wrong about everything, let them probe and it will give them something to keep busy with.

Good point, pik, though the problem will be that the jerkweed press will print every single allegation in the "probe" as GOSPEL. And it'll be never-ending headlines and lead stories in network newscasts portraying the President as a Liar.

[Pikamax]

Well I found some links about Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson using google http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Ambassador+Joseph+C.+Wilson&btnG=Google+Search PBS Bill Moyer's Transcript with Joseph C. Wilson (02/28/03: interesting take on war to benefit Israel and Likud party by him. http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_wilson.html http://www.mideasti.org/html/media.html http://www.mideasti.org/html/bio-wilson.html Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson, IV, Adjunct Scholar CEO of JCWilson International Ventures Corp Deputy Chief of Mission in Baghdad, Iraq (1988-1991) during Gulf Crisis. Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council, 1997-1998. Political Advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of United States Armed Forces, Europe, 1995-1997. Served as Ambassador to the Gabonese Republic and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, and Deputy Chief of Mission in Brazzaville, Congo (1986-88) and Bujumbura, Burundi (1982). American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow for Senator Albert Gore and the House Majority Whip, Rep. Thomas Foley. Served as member of the U.S. Diplomatic Service in Niger, Togo, and South Africa and in the State Department Bureau of African Affairs. Expert on Iraq, Saddam Hussein, and war & peace. A lecture given UCSB(he is alumni) on January 22nd,2003 with bio info http://www.ihc.ucsb.edu/events/past/winter03/wilson/ Washington Post chat transcript http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/03/sp_iraq_wilson040303.htm "...Bethesda, Md.: I don't understand. In the first answer you say the rational is liberation so WMD do not matter. While I couldn't disagree more, in the second answer you say this isn't a war of liberation. Does this make sense? Joseph C. Wilson: The administration has offered a menu of reasons for the war. WMD was one of them. The answer was to the question of whether finding WMD would make a difference in how the war is perceived. And the answer is no. Here in the US we have bought off on the other reasons so for us it does not matter. Overseas, they think there are any number of other reasons behind what we are doing so again if we find WMD it wown't change their position as to why we are doing what we are. The issue is really transfer of WMD to terrorist groups which had never occurred before in Saddam's regime but now that he is toast don't be surprised if as his last act of defiance he does precisely that. As to liberation, we will see a year from now if the Iraqis feel they are liberated. That will help determine victory in this conflict "

[Pikamax]

>>>>Darn it.. The Image I put in messed up the previous post, this should work. Sorry



Well I found some links about Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson using google

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Ambassador+Joseph+C.+Wilson&btnG=Google+Search



PBS Bill Moyer's Transcript with Joseph C. Wilson (02/28/03: interesting take on war to benefit Israel and Likud party by him.


http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_wilson.html





http://www.mideasti.org/html/media.html

http://www.mideasti.org/html/bio-wilson.html



Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson, IV, Adjunct Scholar
CEO of JCWilson International Ventures Corp
Deputy Chief of Mission in Baghdad, Iraq (1988-1991) during Gulf Crisis.

Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council, 1997-1998.

Political Advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of United States Armed Forces, Europe, 1995-1997.

Served as Ambassador to the Gabonese Republic and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, and Deputy Chief of Mission in Brazzaville, Congo (1986-88) and Bujumbura, Burundi (1982).

American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow for Senator Albert Gore and the House Majority Whip, Rep. Thomas Foley.

Served as member of the U.S. Diplomatic Service in Niger, Togo, and South Africa and in the State Department Bureau of African Affairs.

Expert on Iraq, Saddam Hussein, and war & peace.


A lecture given UCSB(he is alumni) on January 22nd,2003 with bio info
http://www.ihc.ucsb.edu/events/past/winter03/wilson/


Washington Post chat transcript
http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/03/sp_iraq_wilson040303.htm

"...Bethesda, Md.: I don't understand. In the first answer you say the rational is liberation so WMD do not matter. While I couldn't disagree more, in the second answer you say this isn't a war of liberation. Does this make sense?

Joseph C. Wilson: The administration has offered a menu of reasons for the war. WMD was one of them. The answer was to the question of whether finding WMD would make a difference in how the war is perceived. And the answer is no. Here in the US we have bought off on the other reasons so for us it does not matter. Overseas, they think there are any number of other reasons behind what we are doing so again if we find WMD it wown't change their position as to why we are doing what we are.
The issue is really transfer of WMD to terrorist groups which had never occurred before in Saddam's regime but now that he is toast don't be surprised if as his last act of defiance he does precisely that.
As to liberation, we will see a year from now if the Iraqis feel they are liberated. That will help determine victory in this conflict "

[Falcon4.0]

I think we need an investigation into Democrats use of Federal moneys for investigations, in trying to get dirt on Bush for political gain.

[r_u_sirius]

You mean like th $70 millions plus for the Starr Report on a blow-job?

[SandRat]

Let's see GW cited MI6 as having the report, Blair used the report before Parliament, a special Parliament House Investigative Committee found no willful distortions by Blair or Campbell (the jury is still out on the BBCs Galleger); ergo - no "lies" by GW.

BTW: It's very obvious that none of the DemoTwits or their Media Managers/Enablers took the time last night to watch, . . . . dare I say it? CSPAN! To hear the report out by the MPs live; I did in spite of how much I dislike CSPAN?

[Ethyl]

Dont the Levins, Daschles, Clintons and the rest of the Dem whiners have more important things to do? Like maybe try and get an issue, instead of attack, attack, attack, all the time? Sheesh

These idiots are so disingenuous, they had the same CIA briefings and FBI briefings as the President did, they had the same info and are trying to trump up charges now to gain political points. They make me sick, they were saying the same things about WMD at that time or at least backing them as the President was. This is all a bunch of poopoo. Shame the demoncrapts.................it ain't gonna work.

[eric_da_grate]

That $70 million should be billed to Clinton....Had he been honest and forthright with the public from the start, it wouldn't have cost us a dime.

Oh, by the way,"a blow-job"?...Clinton had an 18 MONTH affair with Lewinsky.

I smell a fishy stink around here.