Don't you think this admin is stupid? Would you start a war based on this?

Question

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US administration officials chose to ignore a CIA officer's warnings that an Iraqi defector's claims of purported biological labs made by Iraq for germ warfare were unproven.

Sunday's edition of The Washington Post quoted veteran CIA officer Tyler Drumheller who, it said, "recognized the source, an Iraqi defector suspected of being mentally unstable and a liar.

"The CIA officer took his pen," he recounted in an interview, "and crossed out the whole paragraph" in a statement to be presented by then secretary of state Colin Powell to the United Nations.

"A few days later, the lines were back in the speech. Powell stood before the UN Security Council on February 5 (2003) and said: 'We have first-hand descriptions of biological weapons factories on wheels and on rails.'"

Drumheller was stunned, the newspaper reported.

"We thought we had taken care of the problem," it quoted the man who was the CIA's European operations chief before retiring

last year, as saying. "But I turn on the television and there it was, again."

The newspaper said that although the US government had "acknowledged intelligence failures over Iraqi weapons claims that led to war", new accounts by former insiders such as Drumheller shed light on "one of the most spectacular failures of all".

This was, it added: "How US intelligence agencies were eagerly drawn in by reports about a troubled defector's claims of secret germ factories in the Iraqi desert. The mobile labs were never found."

Drumheller "described in extensive interviews repeated attempts to alert top CIA officials to problems with the defector, code-named Curveball, in the days before the Powell speech," The Post said.

Yet "the warnings triggered debates within the CIA but ultimately made no visible impact at the top, current and former intelligence officials said," it added.

"In briefing Powell before his UN speech, George Tenet, then the CIA director, personally vouched for t

for the accuracy of the mobile-lab claim, according to participants in the briefing.

"Tenet now says he did not learn of the problems with Curveball until much later and that he received no warnings from Drumheller or anyone else," the Post said.

In late 2002, the Bush administration began scouring intelligence files for reports of Iraqi weapons threats, the newspaper went on. Sun Jun 25, 10:15 AM ET

After the war srarted Bush is looking in newspapers to find evidence of weapons?? Is this man DUMB or what!!

All those links are BS and you know it.

I can put on what I want! earned them, whether you like it or not!!

Answer 1

Stupid and inept... The thing that bothers me is they had to know they would get caught....Colin Powell must have had unbelieveable pressure on him to lie for Bush. It does show one scary thing....the Bush administration can spin and will spin any intelligence to fit their agenda.
I wonder one thing....can we ever get out of Iraq. How do our troops know who they are fighting? They are all civilians and some will get you prosecuted.if you kill them. What do you do? I cannot see any way to win in Iraq. Bush will have to decide to end it in another way.

Answer 2

You overlook several Important facts

First we are there - If we cut and run now we will have created a monster that will destroy the world
Do not think that the terrorists will cut and run - they are dedicated

Second in 1992 Saddam said ALL weapons of mass destruction were gone - we have found over 500 weapons there since the war started
even the press acknowledges that fact
And I suppose those trucks to Syria were all carrying Band Aids and Kool Aid

Third - Saddam was left in power by a treaty that stated he would abide by rules - He chose to ignore those rules - when your kids disobey do you just smile at them and encourage that disobedience

Liberalism is a Mental Disorder - See a Shrink

Answer 3

This administration has put a whole new face on the definition of the word STUPID. Ignorance and stubborn pride has cost thousands of lives in a useless war over lies and speculation. The so called atrocities against Iraqi citizens by Saddam do not justify our presence there. These things are going on all over the world, especially in Africa, yet where is the right wing outrage over that?

Answer 4

Everything you said is true, but you have forgotten an important fact : President Bush was LIED TO! He wasn't told of any concerns, he was told the info he was being given was "Iron Clad"...The President is a busy guy & he gets short briefings by those he depends on to gather the facts & present him with the truth & options...Bush was lied to & like all presidents, he's taking the heat...This actually started with Bush before he was elected...He was "Groomed" and the case for war was presented long before he was elected...Do you think "We The PUBLIC" elected Bush? Or did "The PEOPLE" elect him? To understand the difference, you must understand the terminology specifically and purposely used by the "Founding Fathers"...Read the "Preamble" closely : "WE The PEOPLE, in order to FORM a more perfect union" : The "People" are those politicians in office who were creating our countries government...and look at what most think of as "thier Right's", we "shall have right's LIKE those of The PEOPLE"...Please don't believe me...Read it for yourself...Bush isn't to blame, Bad & Big Government with personal agenda's are...

Answer 5

Same tired old crap from the mindless lemmings. Time to wake up and smell the chocko- froco- crapo at the local starbucks little lib- even your spineless leaders keep funding the war and refusing to bring troops home.

You make it too too easy showing what a bunch of worthless hypocrites you and your leaders are.

Nice try though.

Hey I see you finally have developed the character to take those military photos down. There is hope after all.

Instead I would go to war based on the information your leaders provided to Bush prior to him taking office and stated after he took office.

Found in Iraq:

* 1.77 metric tons of enriched uranium
* 1,500 gallons of chemical weapons agents
* 17 chemical warheads containing cyclosarin (a nerve agent five times more deadly than sarin gas)
* Over 1,000 radioactive materials in powdered form meant for dispersal over populated areas
* Roadside bombs loaded with mustard and “conventional” sarin gas, assembled in binary chemical projectiles for maximum potency

http://www.usembassy-dhaka.org/state/sta...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3...


http://www.military.com/newscontent/0,13...

http://transcripts.cnn.com/transcripts/0...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,1201...


More quotes for you guys. Looks like the liberals agreed there were WMD.

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real..."
-- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003


"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction."
-- Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002


"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members ... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."
-- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002


"He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do"
-- Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002


"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."
-- Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002


"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force -- if necessary -- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security."
-- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002


"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..."
-- Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002


"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction."
-- Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002


"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."
-- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002


"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."
-- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002


"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and th! e means of delivering them."
-- Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002


"There is no doubt that ... Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies."
Letter to President Bush, Signed by:
-- Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), and others, Dec 5, 2001


"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."
-- Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999


"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."
-Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998


"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs."
Letter to President Clinton, signed by:
-- Democratic Senators Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others, Oct. 9, 1998


"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983."
--Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998


"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."
--Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998


"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."
--President Bill Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998


"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line."
--President Bill Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998