[Seeking the truth]

The CIA also made only ''halfhearted'' attempts to investigate a West African businessman's claim that Nigerien uranium bound for Iraq was being stored in a warehouse in the nearby African nation of Benin, the report said. The CIA never contacted the businessman, even though the U.S. Navy gave the CIA his phone number, the report said.

Isn't this the sort of thing that Valerie Plame was in charge of?

[piasa]

I would think so!

[piasa]

2003 after SOTU speech : (CIA FINALLY GETS NIGER DOCS FROM STATE DEPARTMENT) The State Department got the forged documents last fall [2002], but intelligence officials say the CIA didn't receive them - and thus couldn't analyze them - until after Bush's speech [on Jan 28, 2003]. The reason for the delay in getting them to the CIA remains unclear. - "CIA UNVEILS MORE NUKE-PLAN PROOF," by DEBORAH ORIN, New York Post, 7/19/03