CIA Reactions to Finding No WMD in Iraq

[swag]

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2015/07/cia-no-iraq-wmd/
. . .

The fact that Duelfer states quite clearly that he found none of the alleged WMD stockpiles cannot be repeated enough, with 42% of Americans (and 51 percent of Republicans) still believing the opposite.

A New York Times story last October about the remnants of a long-abandoned chemical weapons program has been misused and abused to advance misunderstanding. A search of Iraq today would find U.S. cluster bombs that were dropped a decade back, without of course finding evidence of a current operation.

Duelfer is also clear that Saddam Hussein’s government had accurately denied having WMD, contrary to a popular U.S. myth that Hussein had pretended to have what he did not.

The fact that President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and their team knowingly lied cannot be overemphasized. This group took the testimony of Hussein Kamel regarding weapons he’d said had been destroyed years ago, and used it as if he’d said they currently existed. This team used forged documents to allege a uranium purchase. They used claims about aluminum tubes that had been rejected by all of their own usual experts. They “summarized” a National Intelligence Estimate that said Iraq was unlikely to attack unless attacked to say nearly the opposite in a “white paper” released to the public. Colin Powell took claims to the U.N. that had been rejected by his own staff, and touched them up with fabricated dialogue.
. . .

[Demeter]

1. Reality is optional, in the West.

[NealK]

2. K&R

Interesting, thank you.

[stupidicus]

3. which is why I always suggested to my lefty allies

in the lead up to the war and afterward, that Bush wouldn't have sold his lies butfor those BC told.

For example, whose admin interviewed Kamel?

WHat did HC know and when did she know it is what I'd like to know.

[HassleCat]

4. They all want to play Hamlet

I saw a Shakespeare review, sort of a Shakespeare in 45 minutes thing, called "They All Want to Play Hamlet." The theme is, there are many great roles in Shakespeare's plays, and actors are happy to play any of them, but they're not really satisfied unless they get to play Hamlet. Same thing with presidents. They don't seem content until they use US military power in some way. GW Bush came right out and admitted his desire to be a "wartime president." I am so happy our current president does not suffer from this particular feeling of inadequacy.

[Raster]

8. "He tried to hurt my Daddy!"

Dick*: "Let's get us selected, then we'll show him who's boss!"

W*: "Maybe if I kick his ass Daddy will finally love me."

Condi*: "It's OK lover, I love you.

Karen: "And I do to."

W*: "Let freedom reign."

[Martin Eden]

5. But there really was a "grave and gathering threat" that necessitated the invasion of Iraq

The real threat that prompted the invasion in March 2003 was the increasing likelihood the UN inspectors would find what Duelfer later found if they were allowed to complete their work -- and the primary rationale for this war would have evaporated along with the "mushroom clouds" we were told to fear.

[swag]

7. Yes, that is true. I was alive back then, too. But 42% of Americans still think WMD were found.

[Kennah]

9. They cited the CNN report "Too Close To Call"