White House promises 'smoking gun intelligence'

The Daily Telegraph ^ | January 16, 2003 | Toby Harnden

[MadIvan]

White House officials have reassured Republicans by signalling that America and Britain are prepared to release powerful intelligence evidence to cement the case for war against Iraq.

Andy Card, the White House chief of staff, and Karl Rove, President George W Bush's chief political strategist, have each indicated privately that the administration has proof that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction.

Mr Card received blunt warnings from conservative Republican senators last week that Mr Bush had to produce a much more concrete case for war if he hoped to keep public support.

Senator Kit Bond of Missouri said more information should be released and asked: "What is the connection between Iraq and al-Qa'eda?" According to sources at the private meeting, Mr Card is understood to have urged him: "Don't worry."

Mr Rove is believed to have used similar language during private briefings to politicians in Washington.

He strongly suggested that the Bush administration already possesses a piece of intelligence from the CIA or MI6 that would amount to the "smoking gun" critics are calling for.

[Petronski]

As long as we start getting the early hints on the 31st, I'll be happy.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks for the information and the links as well.

Maybe Bond should read these articles.

[TexKat]

I am looking for something to be devulged or happen around the 19th or 20th of this month.

[barker]

Why do something big when you can do it BIG.

Why do something big when you can do it BIG TIME.

[Once-Ler]

"If you are baited into constantly claiming that we can't go to war without real evidence, then when it is produced you have a very tough time finding another rationale for opposition."

I just thought that this brillant point needed a bump.

[txhurl]

Domino's delivered 60 pizzas to the Pentagon last night...

That is always the dead giveaway. I drove for Domino's many years and we tracked this internally.

[c-five]

January 27, 2003 – Next U.N. Inspection report due on Iraq WMD. http://news.findlaw.com/politics/s/20030110/iraqundc.html

January 29, 2003 – State of the Union Address -- http://www.c-span.org/executive/stateoftheunion.asp

February 1, 2003 – Next new moon -- http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.html

[Petronski]

Mind you, that hasn't happened recently. But I'm hoping we'll here about it soon.

[Calpublican]

I sense "strategery" is going to triumph again shortly

Glad you Brits are finally learning to speak properly.

Now, here's a good sentence: If you folks had used a little more strategery, we might still be British subjects.

[Calpublican]

Why the 19th or 20th?

[hellinahandcart]

We'll all have a happy-happy. ;D

It should liven things up at CPAC too (1/31-2/1).

[Samurai_Jack]

If you folks had used a little more strategery, we might still be British subjects.

It is always a mistake to 'Misunderestimate' the 'Strategery' of the Bush Administration :^)

[okie01]

Smart politicians, politicians who are smart enough to rise to the Presidency of the US, don't proceed with the kind of confidence Bush has without an ace as a hole card.

Or they have the mainstream media in their pocket whenever they start dropping bombs for the express purpose of covering up charges of corruption, treason and rape.

Which, upon reflection, is indeed an ace in the hole. But one only Democrats are dealt...

[hchutch]

I also find it interesting that Andy Card talked about the Iraq/al-Qaeda connection with Senator Bond.

Gee, does this city called Prague make any memories?

[what's up]

Hold info close to the chest until needed.

The info has been there for months. They'll release it just in time for the Invasion.

[okie01]

What's it start with?

Gimme an "A".

[Howlin]

Did you happen to catch Joe Biden on Hardball tonight? If not, try to see if you can get it later.

He was NOT playing Matthews' game tonight, either on the affirmative action suit OR Iraq.

And he said flat out that George W. Bush had PROMISED him to his face that he WOULD, in fact, produce the smoking gun before he started anything.

[Howlin]

Well I don't. What are you thinking? :-)

[Howlin]

What's it start with?

ROFLMAO!

[lds23]

There's no lack of clamoring for GW to release this evidence. But he's playing it smart. Waiting to release it until we'll have massive force aligned to quell any uprising by Saddam or his sympathizers.

Checkmate in advance by the US.

The "alternative" view is to let the evidence out now (with the risk that it's leaked to Iraq - perhaps by the Syrians or French?). And THEN they suggest we should begin to send troops. Sounds to me like a recipe to put our troops in danger.

I prefer the way that the administration is playing it, just fine.