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.

[okie01]

"I have long suspected that there is strong physical evidence, possibly even a videotape, of Mohamed Atta meeting with the Iraqi "diplomat" al-Ani in Prague."

Remember this one?

Hijacker given anthrax flask by Iraqi agent, from the London Times, October 27, 2001.

There have indeed been rumors that the exchange was caught on tape...

[Howlin]

OUTSTANDING!

[Howlin]

I for one have no doubt that the information is there, and the least sensitive of it will be released at a time of W's choosing.

And I believe it's going to involve HUGE charts, map, and a pointer, do you?

[Howlin]

Yep, thats right... Mr Bush needs to pull an Adelai Stevenson move here with Mr Negroponte.

I can almost *see* it in my mind; pointers, perhaps a laser one, will be involved.

[Imal]

"Strategery?" Did somebody say "strategery"?

[Howlin]

LOL.....it's always about YOU, isn't it? :-)

[Howlin]

Publishers' Clearinghouse Giveaway?

You don't suppose........no, it couldn't be!!! Suppose Saddam *won* the big prize!

[TexKat]

I really can't explain it right now. But it was some things that I picked up on by being a cable news junkie. We will see. After I posted what you responded to, some one posted on another thread, that Blix is scheduled to tell Saddam on Sunday, the 19th of this month that a new report is needed or be prepared for war. This was on Greta Van Susteran show tonight.

And also shown on Greta, was aerial shots of where Sadaam's weapons are suspected to be hidden.

[txhurl]

Well, if that's all we legally need to press 'start', then splendid, but I'm a bit under-whelmed.

At least it should be small-pox in the flask, or ricin.

Unless they caught Timothy McVeigh in the picture, too.

[Miss Marple]

I am with you on this one. I have been certain that they have had the evidence since that "Axis of Evil" speech. I believe they also have evidence on Iran and North Korea. Bush wouldn't have just stuck those three countries in a speech for effect. He is a "just the facts" kind of guy.

Charts, video, radar images, BIG pointer, perhaps even personal testimony by a defector. MAXIMUM impact, and I think it will be in the State of the Union. I am looking forward to a great many people in the media with egg on their faces. HA!

[sarasmom]

Possibly for the same reason that certain gifted writers may not publish a fictional novel untill 10 years after their death, and under NSA editing contracts.

There seems to be a whole bunch of news that cnnabcmsnbccbs have deliberately missed.I am shocked!Appalled!

The real world does not hinge on television news ratings.I personally have had a microphone shoved in my face, but my words were never actually aired, because I did not contribute the required angst fot the selected slant on the storyline.

Real life goes on despite the media.

The Poynter Institute is a joke, and the best definition of a contradiction of terms is "freedom of the press".

I am not saying that is good,and I do wish people would realise that it is true.The "free" press in the world are now prostitutes for politicians.They exchange a service for a fee.They only buy from the vendors who sell them what they want to hear.

[Howlin]

There's no lack of clamoring for GW to release this evidence.

Remember when the Democrats *demanded* that Bush discuss the Iraqi War with them -- last fall, before the election, when he didn't want to (or did he?)

Remember when the Democrats *demanded* that Bush "do something" to show the government was working on 9-11, and he completely reorganized the government and took away their "base" of government works with perks?

[Dog Gone]

You would have to know George personally to know how little he cares about steel tariffs.

[Howlin]

LOL......you're killing me tonight!

[lds23]

It's a beautiful thing!

[Samurai_Jack]

I can almost *see* it in my mind; pointers, perhaps a laser one, will be involved



Without Question, the more it looks like the 60's Days of October the better. We need Theatre here, Drama and it has to bring back a strong recollection, almost a replay of the Castro Confrontation. The effect will be brilliant... now if we can just get that economy booming enough so that the democrats can stuff a sock in their mouths. Forget the poll ratings, the economy needs to peak right at September 2004.

[hchutch]

And don't forget what Senator Bond was told by Andy Card:
There is an Iraq/al-Qaeda link there, too, ladies. I'd bet the rent on it.

Why exactly was Mohammed Atta talking with Iraqi intelligence agent Ahmed al-Ani in a Prague cafe?

[El Gato]

I mean, why should Bush keep people like Kit Bond or John Warner informed? They could be sleepers.

Doubt they are sleepers, at least not for Saddam or the Islamanazis, but they might have a bad case of diarea of the mouth, most Congress Critters, especially Senators and most especially Demo ones, do you know.

BTW, is somebody attacking the Senate server? Or are the Dems filibustering that too? Had no problem getting to thomas.loc.gov, but I can't get to the Senate site. Wanted to check on the party affiliation of the Senators mentioned above, but all I could manage was a TCP_ERROR message saying the server is down or too busy.

[Miss Marple]

Somehow, I think the State of the Union speech is going to be "Must See TV."

[Howlin]

And here is what I DEMAND, in return for the HUGE donations I make to the RNC:

I demand that during the ENTIRE presentation, while each and every chart is being shown SLOWLY to the entire world, that TOM DASCHLE be the person who has to HOLD them up, but not too high, because I want to WATCH the expression on HIS FACE as he hears the news -- the news that he's been totally exposed as a liar and an anti-American!

And, no, he CANNOT stand on his box!

The RNC *OWES* this to me for all the crap we have had to put up with for the last two years.