"We were told there was intelligence we could not see"

[T_i_B]

MUST READ as this is top story in the UK press at present. In case you are wondering Dr Brian Jones was formerly head of the branch within the Scientific and Technical Directorate of Defence Intelligence Staff that was responsible for the analysis of intelligence from all sources on nuclear, biological and chemical warfare.

http://argument.independent.co.uk/commentators/story.jsp?story=487515

In the Commons and in his evidence to MPs yesterday, the Prime Minister referred to my own concerns about the Government's assessment of the Iraqi threat. Now that the Hutton report has been published, I feel able to speak on what is in the public domain and on the issues that I believe should be examined by any investigation into "intelligence failure".

It is clear from the evidence to the Hutton inquiry that the experts of the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) who dealt with chemical and biological warfare, including those working directly with me, had problems with some aspects of what was being said in various drafts of the dossier that was published on 24 September 2002.

I believe the DIS experts who worked for and with me were the foremost group of analysts in the West on nuclear, biological and chemical warfare intelligence. It is their job to consider all other related evidence. What was missing was, for example, strong evidence of the continuing existence of weapons and agents and substantive evidence on production or storage.

There was no indication that the Iraqi military had practiced the use of CW or BW weapons for more than a decade. But it was known that Iraq had previously possessed CW and BW capabilities and used chemical weapons. Further, Saddam had failed to satisfy the UN that the capability had been eliminated.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Thanks for posting, TiB

We have parallel stories on this side of the Pond. Right now, they're drowned out by the Democratic primaries (ironically) and Janet Jackson's nipple as well as the usual official obfuscation. However, many of us know about the OSP and its mission: make the facts fit the case for war.

The only thing wrong about the intelligence that those in power received was that it undermined their case against Saddam. That was nothing a little cooking and cherry picking couldn't fix.

What should we call that? Sexing up?

[T_i_B]

3. Well over here

It's a choice between WMD stories and I'm a celeberity get me out of here stories for the papers. The broadsheets, most specifically the left leaning ones tend towards WMD and the tabloids go for the reality TV wonders of Jordan's knockers. makeof that what you will.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

4. Don't forget the "F-OFF GYPSIES" stories

that the Express has got obsessed with. Oh what a wonderful friend of Labour Richard Desmond is... (grr).

[T_i_B]

5. The Express,what a pile of S***

Honestly, if they did not have immigrant bashing and house prices they would not have a paper. The fact that Kilroy-Silk is one of their colummists tells you all you need to know.

The fact that Desmonds Express is stanchly Blairite is worrying enough without that papers, shall we say less than racially tolerant tendencies. :grr:

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

7. "Blair accused of pandering to the right...

...with curb on benefit for EU newcomers"

Tony Blair was accused yesterday of caving to pressure from right-wing newspapers by approving a clampdown on benefits for immigrants from former Iron Curtain nations joining the European Union.

The move - revealed by The Independent on Tuesday - followed warnings in the press that up to 1.6 million immigrants could arrive in Britain from nations such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland, when 10 new countries join the EU on 1 May.

...

The Daily Express and The Sun hailed the Prime Minister's promise on tougher restrictions as a victory.

But immigrants' rights groups condemned the U-turn for sending out the wrong message about Britain's attitude to newcomers. Tauhid Pasha, legal policy director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immi-grants, said: "The announcement isbased on the premise we are going to be inundatedand that they are going to be claiming benefits. These are two premises that are highly dubious. Our view would be what the Government is doing is responding to certain elements of the right-wing press."

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=488328

[hatrack]

2. Good article - thanks!

Then there's intelligence members of Congress could see - for example that reported by Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida). He reported that a closed-door briefing for members of Senate Intelligence went into great detail on the drone aircraft Saddam had, and how they could target the East Coast of the United States with chem/bioweapons.

But it's all the CIA's fault - yeah, that's the ticket!

[mac2]

6. Whose to blame for poor intelligence

You can't warn someone when they refuse to listen to bring us to war for their own profit and power. Invisible or not..there was no there.

As Harry Truman said, "The buck stops here". Bush says, he admired Harry Truman. Seems not since he is blaming everyone but himself.

Tony Blair is blaming the BBC?

We believe Gephardt when he said, it is all "smoke and mirrors".

Axis of Evil: Bush/Blair/Sharon.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

8. Richard Norton-Taylor (& the Guardian's book on Hutton)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/hutton/story/0,13822,1142377,00.html

&

http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?50@@.685f00c9