[Dolphy]

...had a guy on that said that the French intelligence agency gave the info to UK and told them to please not share it with the US because they would be in trouble with Chirac.

This, so far, becomes the closest thing to an explanation for the current situation. The Brits tell the US off the record of the French intelligence, we believe it but can't verify it, Bush considers it too significant not to mention, and the language in the speech is so crafted. The only thing it doesn't explain is why Tenet made his statement unless it is to protect sources and make the US look like we didn't have any other information.

The article says that...

French diplomatic sources told AP on Wednesday the French government never possessed the documents but did have suspicions Iraq was seeking nuclear material from Niger.

I don't suppose the French turned over any of the evidence that made them suspicious to the UN or IAEA. Maybe it's not just the Dems who are about to take a fall as the WMD story in Iraq unfolds.

[shamusotoole]

I'm running on my own recollections only, but... Didn't Hans Blix, Kofi Annan, Saddam Hussein and a few others all debunk the Niger Trade documents suspiciously quickly, even when our own folks accepted them at face value because on their face, they looked authentic.

I believe there were even details mentioned, like an out-of-date Niger Official Seal, and a Trade Minister's signature, who hadn't been around for awhile.

I'd like to know a timeline about this document. That may give us a better idea of whodunnit, or who had it done.