They Knew: Analysts’ Doubts About Bio Labs Were Publicly Reported In June 2003
They Knew: Analysts’ Doubts About Bio Labs Were Publicly Reported In June 2003
Yesterday the Washington Post revealed that a Pentagon field report transmitted to Washington on May 27, 2003 stated that trailers found in Iraq “had nothing to do with biological weapons.†Nevertheless, top administration officials continued to claim for months that the trailers were evidence that weapons of mass destruction had been found.
The key question is: when did senior administration officials become aware of the Pentagon field report? (Yesterday, Scott McClellan said he was “looking into it.”)
The answer appears to be no later than early June. On June 7-8 prominent reports appeared in U.S. and British papers about the analysis. If top administration officials were not aware of the Pentagon report prior to these stories, it seems certain they were afterwards.
From the New York Times, A1, 6/7/03:
American and British intelligence analysts with direct access to the evidence are disputing claims that the mysterious trailers found in Iraq were for making deadly germs. In interviews over the last week, they said the mobile units were more likely intended for other purposes and charged that the evaluation process had been damaged by a rush to judgment.
From the Guardian, 6/8/03:
The intelligence agency MI6, British defence officers and technical experts from the Porton Down microbiological research establishment have been ordered to conduct an urgent review of the mobile facilities, following US analysis which casts serious doubt on whether they really are germ labs.
The British review comes amid widespread doubts expressed by scientists on both sides of the Atlantic that the trucks could have been used to make biological weapons.
Nevertheless, Vice President Cheney continued to make definitive statements about the nature of the trailers. Appearing on Meet the Press on 9/14/03, three months after the news reports, Cheney said, “We’ve, since the war, found two of them. They’re in our possession today, mobile biological facilities that can be used to produce anthrax or smallpox or whatever else you wanted to use during the course of developing the capacity for an attack.”
(HT: Progressive Wolf)
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Gee, they were lying?
April 13th, 2006 at 10:37 amWhether incompetence or malicious deception, the end result is the same. Here’s my take on the latest blame game about the “mobile weapons labs” and what it says about this Administration.
April 13th, 2006 at 10:39 amJust start calling this whole affair “The Iraq Conspiracy”. It was deliberate and collective deception. It was a conspiracy.
April 13th, 2006 at 10:46 amSo that whole “fool me once, shame on you. . . . . . . . . . . . Fool me. . . . . . You can’t fool me again!” statement wasn’t really how Pres. Bush sees things, huh?
I guess Pres. Bush CAN be fooled again!
Now, tell me, who’s surprised?
April 13th, 2006 at 10:47 am# 3 Mike: I’m really starting to think 9/11 was too.
April 13th, 2006 at 10:49 amJosh marshall carries this out on another point about when exactly the administration dropped the story. Enjoy. http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/008212.php
April 13th, 2006 at 10:50 am[…] Think Progress Click to enlarge photo Yesterday the Washington Post revealed that a Pentagon field report transmitted to Washington on May 27, 2003 stated that trailers found in Iraq “had nothing to do with biological weapons.†Nevertheless, top administration officials continued to claim for months that the trailers were evidence that weapons of mass destruction had been found. […]
April 13th, 2006 at 11:00 amThey Knew: Analysts’ Doubts About Bio Labs Were Publicly Reported In June 2003…
Yesterday the Washington Post revealed that a Pentagon field report transmitted to Washington on May 27, 2003 stated that trailers found in Iraq “had nothing to do with biological weapons.†Nevertheless, top administration officials continued to c…
April 13th, 2006 at 11:00 amKing George II is a criminal liar, so he must abdicate his position, or be removed by the Imperial Congress! Otherwise the serfs will rise up and foment a new revolution in America!
April 13th, 2006 at 11:00 amLying liers and the lies they tell. This administration is like Chinese water torture. Drip drip drip, we’re misleading you.. drip drip, be afraid of those guys, drip drip, trust us.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:01 amMash, I visited your website, very well written. I’m at work, so I’ll check it out a bit more later.
GURU, I got your answer re: the Genesis quote. I’m a big Genesis fan from WAY back (but not particularly of the post-Peter Gabriel group.) Coincidentally… I hadn’t heard the song in years, but ran across the live CD at A&P, of all places. As soon as I listened to The Knife again, those lines “Some of you are going to die/Such is the price of the freedom/That I shall provide” jumped out at me. Perfect timing, eh?
April 13th, 2006 at 11:04 amBig deal, the president lied to get rid of an evil dictator, who tortures and is a direct threat to YOUR well being, you selfish sons-of-bit***es.
You guys just don’t understand the way the world works sometimes. I challenge any of y’all to come to my job at the Walmart Supercenter (5401 Fairinton Rd) during my break if you really want to debate it.
Ray
April 13th, 2006 at 11:06 amThere’s a big flaw in this argument. Bush doesn’t read the newspapers. If the intelligence community’s knowledge that the trailers were not bio weapons labs hadn’t yet appeared in a pop-up book or as connect-the-dots, then Bush wouldn’t have known about it.
Just like he was more interested to see what happened at the end of “My Pet Goat” then he was that the United States was undergoing a massive terrorist attack.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:07 amThe lies of this administration on Katrina were caught on tape and available for everyone to see. The same is true on the war on terror except it is now in print. These people are liars, plain and simple and that goes for their planning (military or domestic) too, as unassailable evidence has shown. They couldn’t imagine or see anything coming until they were caught.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:08 amWhat annoys me about all this is that revelations about administration lies still seem to shock some people. I am currently writing my final year dissertation and a large chunk of it is about the case for war in Iraq. Not until I started my research did I realise just how many blatant lies were told, how many people believed them and (even more worryingly) how many people still believe them. I say good on the Washington Post for writing the story, shame on the White House for demanding an apology and good on the blogs for keeping us informed. Truth is precious and must be defended!
April 13th, 2006 at 11:09 am#12: so, the fact that Saddam had no WMDs, no chemical weapons, no long-range missiles, and very little military strength at all made him a threat to MY well-being? Nice argument . . . now it’s time to share your blocks with Timmy, then lay your head down for your nap.
Also, trying to argue that the conservatives understand “how the world works” is laughable. The Bush administration’s view of diplomacy and international affairs is demonstrably idiotic and misguided.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:10 amBush’s excuse is that the reports were written in English and he only can speak and read Gibberish.
What a sorry ass nation.
-GSD
April 13th, 2006 at 11:14 amDick Cheney is the worst of the Bush liars. He extends the lies well past anyone else in the Administration. Thinkprogress had a Cheney quote about the so-called mobile weapons labs, but here is a Cheney quote from even a later date.
“. . .we know for example that prior to our going in that he had spent time and effort acquiring mobile biological weapons labs, and we’re quite confident he did, in fact, have such a program. We’ve found a couple of semi trailers at this point which we believe were, in fact, part of that program. . .I would deem that conclusive evidence, if you will, that he did, in fact, have programs for weapons of mass destruction.”
Source, National Public Radio, 1/22/04
That quote is more than 7 months after the news reports in early June 2003. If he were to be asked today, Cheney would probably STILL maintain they were mobile bio labs.
I have plenty of quotes post news reports from various administration officials claiming the trailers were weapons labs at my blog.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:15 ami still think everyone here who NOW knows the truth still needs to apologize to lil’ Scottie - for making him look like the double-talking doofus he’s become… i mane - this is RECKLESS! fact checking! timeline analysis! who said what when they knew this! c’mon! this is not good corporate-owned and regulated MSM journalism! if you guys don’t go back to taking dictation from scottie and scooter (ooops - well, not him anymore) and cheney and delay (ooo - well, not him anymore) and bush and rummy and rice… well, who knows what willhappen!
April 13th, 2006 at 11:19 amre: #12 - so… lying to cover up a blow job is cause for impeachment…. lying about every niggling detail about invading a sovereign nation, leading to the deaths and maiming of thousands of americans (er, sorry - “coalition forces”), the destruction of a country, the deaths and maiming of thousands more innocent women, children, families, etc…. that’s an OK lie…
you sound like a parent explaining to a child that children shouldn’t lie but, sometimes, big people lie… what a crock of shit
April 13th, 2006 at 11:23 am# 11 Jane:I’m with you on post Gabriei G.;but there is alot good after 1975.’A Trick of the Tail’ for example.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:26 am”Here I am,I’m very fierce and frightening
Come to match my skill to yours.”
#12 - Sure, Saddam was a murderer and a dictator. Do you think that was the only reason Pres. Bush decided to go to war there? If you do, then I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
If, however, we are supposed to be worried about EVERY murderer and dictator in the world, why are we ignoring Darfur?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darfur_conflict
http://www.darfurgenocide.org/
Now, before you go get up on your high horse and talk down to anyone who questions Pres. Bush, why don’t you ask yourself one simple question: if Iraq had no oil, would we have cared? If you’re an honest person, you know your answer will be “NO”.
(Notice, I didn’t insult you like you did everyone else. I guess my ethics are better than yours.)
April 13th, 2006 at 11:26 am# 12 Ray; Did you say Walmart? I didn’t know they had a Dipshit dept.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:34 am# 3 Mike: I’m really starting to think 9/11 was too.
Comment by GURU^ — April 13, 2006 @ 10:49 am
its called false flagging
Mr. Bush, We Know What You Did That Summer! September 11th, 2001
There are two groups of people in this world: those who believe the official explanation of the events of September 11th, 2001, and those who have examined the evidence and realize that the official version of events is totally unbelievable
Mr. Bush, We Know What You Did That Summer! September 11th, 2001
April 13th, 2006 at 11:36 amGURU, I agree–I have most of the old CDs, including T.O.T.T.–good storytelling songs in that.
Sorry about going off topic. Back on: #12, I truly beliieve that George Bush is more of a danger to my well-being than any (other) terrorist out there. And “removal of a dictator” was not the supposed reason to invade, because Congress wouldn’t have voted for the war if it was just for regime change. Hence the uncountable lies fed to us. Unfortunately for you, you believe all the lies, regardless of how much evidence to the contrary.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:42 amAll of this was known when GWB attacked Iraq, but the blind MSM chose to report this story with the Bush administrations spin, instead of doing this investigative work three years later. Why didn’t they look into this in July 2003?
For more on this story:
April 13th, 2006 at 11:42 amhttp://www.lcoliberal.blogspot.com
# 22 - the reason #12 and the rest of like minded-ilk don’t mind Iraq but disregard Darfur:
OIL
no money to be made saving black africans! let them kill each other! however, kicking out an evil dictator and taking over his oil fields! sign them up!
April 13th, 2006 at 11:56 amWhere are the brave patriot-trolls? - why have they all grown so silent in recent days. Where are their insipid ad hominem attacks against people speaking the truth? Come on guys, shed a little light for all us pathetic Dems and Libs and Progs, show us how/where/why the sins of Bill Clinton somehow make all of this lying and manipulation acceptable. Are you cowards? Are you traitors, committing the treason of silence by ignoring the call to duty to protect and defend your fearless leader? I’m telling Ann Coulter about you, and she’s not going to like what she hears.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:57 am#12 - I agree, it is sick and wrong for a morally bankrupt George W. Bush to lie repeatedly to the American people, and cause the death and injury of thousands of our troops, and countless Iraqis.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:58 am#28 - tom baker, I loved you as Dr. Who.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:59 amIs ray from Georgia for real? The walmart thing makes me think it was sarcasm, but I am not sure. If he is I would imagine his “debate” would mostly fall along the lines of calling everyone traitors and commies.
April 13th, 2006 at 12:00 pmBig deal, the president lied to get rid of an evil dictator, who tortures and is a direct threat to YOUR well being, you selfish sons-of-bit***es.
You guys just don’t understand the way the world works sometimes. I challenge any of y’all to come to my job at the Walmart Supercenter (5401 Fairinton Rd) during my break if you really want to debate it.
Ray
Comment by RayFromGA #12
SpayedFromGA,
Spoken like a true, dumb, redneck al Cracker, inbred Bushite TRAITOR…
Why don’t you at least TRY to think past your own beer gut?
Evolve dumbsh*t, and see that you’ve been played (like ALL American taxpayers have)…
…by a criminal, cowardly association of war profiteers and corporate pirates…
…they’re making more money than you can count, murdering tens of thousands of people in the process, and controlling your sh*t for brains future…
…which is going to be sh*t, and they’ll be long gone…
…Saddam’s torture chambers and rape rooms now belong to your TREASONOUS gods Bushiva and L’il Dick…
…and your dumb, broke a*s is out here defending their TREASON, WHY?
…Why do you hate American freedom, truth, justice and civilization?
…I wish I could pay your idiotic a*s a visit, but I don’t make a habit of walking, running or flying into sh*t…
…which is exactly what I’d be doing if I set foot in GA or a Walmart…
April 13th, 2006 at 12:01 pmPost 28 the Bush lover trolls are on the other TP threads so far today! They have not received instructions from Karl Rove to post on this thread yet!
April 13th, 2006 at 12:02 pm#12- The point here is, if GWB had truly had any real justification for the invasion of Iraq, he shouldn’t have any reason to lie. The FACT that he HAS lied, repeatedly, makes it crystal clear that BushCo WANTED to invade Iraq, and were more than willing to do anything to make it happen. Big deal? You bet it is.
April 13th, 2006 at 12:18 pmre: all the rays from GA’s
just like denial-ridden addicts they cling to straws of the rationale that got them where they are. it’s sad, sad, sad, that these people have to live inside their own corrupted minds - fact is they’d be better off as drunks or junkies of some kind. maybe the hard-core abuse of some substance would free them of the terrible pain that drives them to support the very people who are killing their way of life. i think often of our electorate in the terms they use to describe women in abusive realtionships (like ray’s wife). they get beaten and denigrated, then come right back for more, and when they finally get free from one abuser, their deep-seated insecurities drive them to find another just like the last. there are fates worse than facing the threat of an enemy from afar, rayfromGA, and it will be your descendants who live them, barely scratching out a living, unable to see a doctor, unable to get a decent education - and it will be you and your buddies’ fault.
April 13th, 2006 at 12:26 pm“Ray, cleanup on isle #6″
April 13th, 2006 at 12:30 pmI heard Bush claim in a debate with John Kerry that very same arguement that Kerry just didn’t understand the “way the world works”. Looking at the way things have worked out for Bush, suspicion grows of any RE-thug who claims that he knows “the way the world works”! Bullshit. The concept that you can create reality by re-defining or denying it is pure mystical Bullshit right up there with Orgone and spoon-benders.
Only fools right off the nutbag train defend Georgie’s War with the same old lies! Makes you wonder if they can even read.
April 13th, 2006 at 12:35 pm#24–Hey, I’m not a Prog, I’m a Pro. As opposed to conservatives being Cons. But to answer your wondering where the troll-cons are, I’m betting they are just plain overwhelmed these days. Or maybe they’ve had an enlightenment that they’re world is coming to an end. No, not the “Final Days,” but the end of their politcal world. I’m thinking that at least a few of them are right now in the process of dismantling their Bush alters, while sobbing that their fallen idol is not at all like a Christian.
April 13th, 2006 at 12:35 pmJane:Please see my ”Visions of Angels” message again.
April 13th, 2006 at 12:36 pmOops, sorry, #28, not #24
April 13th, 2006 at 12:37 pmWorshipping Bush as the second coming of christ to bring the end of the world was also not Christian. Do they really think that anyone Christ-like would endorse pre-emptive war, start wars for their own enrichment, and leave people drowning in New Orleans to their own devices? What has he EVER done that was Christ-like? One thing. Just one! But then there is the other question, what has he ever done that was Devil-ish?
I think we all might come up with a few more than one or two.
Jesus said, “Judge a tree by it’s fruit”.
Jesus warned that there would be many pretenders.
April 13th, 2006 at 12:41 pmJesus said, “Judge a tree by it’s fruitâ€. So as we judge the Bush Administration we see all the bad apples.
April 13th, 2006 at 12:46 pmYes, rotten fruit.
If war, and lies, and callous disregard for the people isn’t enough to warn these worshippers of Bush that he is not the second-coming, then we just have to let go of EVER getting through to them. Let them move to the cabin in Montana and dream of blowing up little babies again.
When the piss-ant pinhead is gone, never, NEVER will we let crazies drag our country through the mud again, even if we have to cut diplomatic ties with Montana.
April 13th, 2006 at 1:04 pmThat’s why the Bushinista Regime quickly classified, then shelved the report. So that there would be no hard evidence backing up the newspaper stories.
April 13th, 2006 at 1:32 pmI’m betting the Bush worshippers would never join my Church of No Preference.
April 13th, 2006 at 1:33 pm#45 - That’s some funny stuff, JonB. I’ll join your sectless sect (not sexless sect, thank goodness), but I won’t send any money.
April 13th, 2006 at 1:50 pmI-Right-I and the other Bush lover trolls just skipped this thread today > lol.
April 13th, 2006 at 3:08 pmyes - somehow proof of this particular bush lie is more kryptonite-y to them than most others have been. Are righteyes and mighty cellulitey the only trolls left? Last of a dying breed?
April 13th, 2006 at 3:32 pmWe know Bush and his minions are lying (1) because their lips are moving, and (2) never once did they qualify their statements.
Never once did they say, we believe these may have been mobile weapons labs. Never once did they say, we believe they have weapons of mass destruction.
If they were truly ignorant of the facts, as they now claim, then it was historically and criminally irresponsible to make such definitive claims.
Bush’s irresponsibility is now obvious for all to see. He is not responsible, the CIA made him do it. He is not responsible, Tenant made him do it. He is not responsible, the sailors on the battleship made the banner, “Mission Accomplished”..
So they are either irresponsible and incompetent, or lying. One guess.
April 13th, 2006 at 4:15 pmCheck out how the MSM is “reporting” Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald’s latest addendum to his filing of yesterday…
…Fitzgerald’s addendum states that “Mr. Libby continues to maintain that neither President Bush nor VP Cheney told him to reveal the nameof Valerie Plame”…
…the slick a*s MSM however (like MSNBC’s Chris Matthews and the CNN bunch) are reporting…
…Fitzgerald filed a statement that says “neither President Bush nor VP Cheney told Scooter Libby to reveal the nameof Valerie Plame”…
…see the difference?
April 13th, 2006 at 5:24 pmLet’s face it - you lefties hate the President, and there’s nothing this Administration can do or say that would cause you to open your eyes to see the justice of what we’re doing abroad. WMD or no WMD, you would find a reason to hate Republicans. See you at the polls this Nov.
April 13th, 2006 at 11:03 pm“Let’s face it - you lefties hate the President, and there’s nothing this Administration can do or say that would cause you to open your eyes to see the justice of what we’re doing abroad. Michael”
Let’s face it - you righties hate america, and there’s nothing we can do or say that would cause you to open your eyes to see the injustice of what we’re doing at home, and abroad to our interests and our image.
“WMD or no WMD, you would find a reason to hate Republicans. See you at the polls this Nov. Comment by Michael ”
WMD or no WMD, you would find a reason to wage war, steal from people, rob our future, and our children’s future, all in the name of false morality, fake wars, and illegal interests and cronyism.
We sure will see you at the polls, and if you and your FILTHY NAZIS don’t use ESS, Diebold and your other tools of anti-democracy you’ll be here HATING LIBERALS for impeaching your fearless leader for his lies, treason and failures.
Fvck you, you NAZI BASTARD.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:00 amLOL Ryan Neat > I see that Karl Rove sent one troll in here before this thread ended > Michael
April 14th, 2006 at 12:56 ampost 52!
Jane;Do you know Wayne?
April 14th, 2006 at 2:37 amMichael,
The few Bush supporters left are like the faithful wife who defends her husband against charges that he is raping their 12 year old daughter, despite the bloody sheets, the screams at night and the tears in your daughter’s eyes. “He is a good man and he wouldn’t lie to me.”
Take another sleeping pill and put your head under the pillow.
Bush has raped and defiled our country. It is at least hearteneing to see the polls and that some of the stubborn wives have the conscience to stand up to the rapist bastard. When will you get the balls to think for yourself Mikey?
April 14th, 2006 at 10:24 amHey nanlichi,
Maybe Mikey needs some of these. A lot of the D’s in office seem to need them too.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:09 pmGURU, yeah, Wayne’s my husband. He’s the more politically savvy of us, has been for years. His sister is married to my brother, and, luckily, we are all of the same political persuasion.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:12 pmJane; It’s all relative.
April 16th, 2006 at 3:04 am