Germany says it exaggerated Iraq smallpox risk

AP | 2/16/03 | TONY CZUCZKA

[kattracks]

BERLIN, Feb 16, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- The German government said Sunday it exaggerated the threat of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs in an internal report last year that claimed Iraq has smallpox stocks and could use them in germ warfare.

The Health Ministry said it drafted the statement in August to back up funding requests for the stockpiling of smallpox vaccine. But it denied that German intelligence has evidence of Iraqi smallpox stocks, contradicting the report's central assertion.

Nonetheless, opposition leaders seized on the statement's publication in a Sunday newspaper to renew charges that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's government was playing down the Iraqi threat in public to avoid undermining its anti-war stand.

The report warned that a smallpox outbreak could kill about 25 million people - nearly a third of the population - in Germany alone, according to a copy published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

"German intelligence has documented evidence that smallpox samples are stockpiled" in Iraq, the health officials wrote.

But Health Ministry spokesman Klaus Vater said that while the officials drew on intelligence reports, their risk assessment was hypothetical, "drastic and imprecise."

"The Health Ministry had no documented evidence about smallpox samples in Iraq, and it has none now," Vater said in a statement. Germany's top security official, Interior Minister Otto Schily, said German intelligence has no evidence of Iraqi germ warfare stockpiles.

The revelations reignited a bitter dispute between Schroeder's government and the conservative opposition about whether Germans are being told the full truth about the threat posed by Iraq.

Since crushing Schroeder's Social Democratic party in two state elections this month, the conservatives have aligned more closely with U.S. pressure for military action. They accuse Schroeder's government of withholding intelligence on Iraq from the public - a charge the government rejects.

The government "has withheld critical information for months for reasons of domestic politics and has thereby deceived the public," Friedbert Pflueger, a foreign policy spokesman for the main opposition Christian Democrats, was quoted as saying in the Frankfurt newspaper.

The leader of the small opposition Free Democrats, Guido Westerwelle, urged the government Sunday to reveal its intelligence information on Iraqi weapons to the public.

By TONY CZUCZKA Associated Press Writer

[fightinJAG]

This reminds me of Joshua Whatzhisname in the Clinton administration who claimed that he lied to his diary!

[pepsionice]

Perhaps the next time the UN convenes, we ought to send Dr. Rice instead of Powell...and let her look at both the French and German representatives...and say 'we don't believe you are doing this on moral grounds....you're have to sign a statement that neither of your countries will ever get a contract or penny from Iraq if you want us to believe you'. Watch those idiots scratch their heads. I believe we need to let Dr. Rice take them both on...she is easily capable of blasting them in public and drawing blood.

[tomahawk]

Well, they can keep being soft on Iraq and possibly lose 25,000,000 Germans, or they can be tough on Iraq and protect Germany. But that means supporting the United States. And Red-Green watermelons Shroeder and Fischer can't fathom that. So, they risk 25,000,000 German men, women and children. How Red-Green of them.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Speaking for the US, I don't believe there is a credable threat right now for Germany. The German chancelor must be in possesion of the top intel for the best interests of Germany, I mean why else would say this? Therefore I beleive all 62,000 US troops and there families need to immediately be redeployed where they can act to protect those that have credable threats.

I know in the protective bubble of NATO, war is an abstract concept, where cells can leave from Hamburg but not strike it, but here (in reality) threats are more credable.

[ggekko]

It was said of Lyndon Johnson's administration that they had a "credibility gap".

The Schroeder government has sunk so low in their level of believability they come to be known as the "credibility black hole".

[americanbychoice]

Someone obviously lied. I doubt that it is the BND. If "the narcissist" Knew about it and hushed it up( most likely scenario), why can't he be put on trial for endangering millions of lives? My god, even if you see an accident in Germany and don't help, you will be prosecuted under the good samaritan law. Prosecute the jerk for "untersagter Hilfeleistung".
Now, that would be fun?

[cake_crumb]

"Nonetheless, opposition leaders seized on the statement's publication in a Sunday newspaper to renew charges that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's government was playing down the Iraqi threat in public to avoid undermining its anti-war stand."

That's the only reason I can think of. Especially since so many are asking why, if Saddam doesn't have these weapons and it's all about the US stealing his oil, are the leaders of the axis of weasles so worried Saddam may USE those weapons that he does not have??

However you boil the German governments statements, you come up with a lie. Logic is Gerhardt's enemy.

[OldFriend]

LOLOL more lying to one's diary ALERT!

[Red Dog #1]

I thought it was 2003, but it must be 1984 because the Ministry of Truth is hard at work.

[cake_crumb]

Agreed. Powell may be angry that the Euroweenies don't benieve even him, but I believe he's out of his league now. This united front of obstinate unreason in the face of reason that even he can see clearly may be beyond his experience.

Condi Rice may be a far better choice for dealing with them. In addition, her presence and forceful, intelligent, knowledgable speech would really discomfit the MaleMuslimaniacs at the UN!

[Lion's Cub]

Gee, I wonder how anyone found out about that report? *Smirk*

[longjack]

Your comment: Herr Schroeder, what did you know and when did you know it?

That was the the title I wanted to use for my post that translated the FAZ article. I decided against it at the last minute.

Also: Germany's top security official, Interior Minister Otto Schily

Isn't Schily a renowned defense attorney? I think he helped defend Baader-Meinhof and the RAF in the Hans-Martin Schleyer murder. Supposedly he was a close friend of Rudi Dutschke and Horst(?) Mahler of the APO (Ausser Parlamentarische Opposition), radical leftists in the late 60's.

The government is fraught with recycled 60's characters.

longjack

[ABrit]

The denial you quote is "The Health Ministry had no documented evidence", the charge was that the BND had evidence. The politco is very cleverly denying the wrong charge.

[a_Turk]

This sounds like it's the last nail in Schroeder's coffin..

[RobbyS]

The new breed of Germans are a spoiled bunch, who have never known what it was to sort by hand bricks from the ruins of German cities.

[alrea]

"German intelligence has documented evidence that smallpox samples are stockpiled"

Peace a chance bump

[sarasmom]

Just out of curiousity, why did the Germans think the USA was having a hissy about this last year?

Why did they think Bush made it a point to say "we will not be blackmailed"

Why do we care what happens to the axis of weasels anymore? Well, I guess I can answer that last one myself,no matter how powerfull and "scary" the USA is believed to be,none would expect us to attack them with WMD like smallpox...even after the dissgusting way they have acted towards us in the last year or so.

[Kay Soze]

Very accurate and clever too!

:)

[WOSG]

former 60s leftwing terrorists. hmmm.

no wonder they hate the US going after Saddam and love Arafat.