Former Admin. Official Needs Only Three Words To Explain Manipulation of Intel: ‘The Vice President’
Former Admin. Official Needs Only Three Words To Explain Manipulation of Intel: ‘The Vice President’
The Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing this afternoon to examine the manipulation of pre-war Iraq intelligence. Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), who previously disavowed his vote for the war, attended the hearing and asked the panelists why a small number of individuals in the administration “had more influence…than the professionals.†Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell, said he only needed three words. Watch it.
Full transcript:
JONES: My question is this to all four of you who would like to answer, maybe it’s a very simple question. I apologize if it’s been asked before. But what perplexes me is how in the world could professionals – I’m not criticizing anybody here at this table – but how could the professionals see what was happening and nobody speak out?
I’m not saying you did not do your duty, please understand. My point is as a congressman who trusted what I was being told – I’m was not on the Intelligence Committee, Senator Dorgan, but I am on the Armed Services Committee – and I was being told this information. And I wish I’d the wisdom then that I might have now. I would have known what to ask. But I think many of my colleagues – they did not have the experience on the Intelligence Committee – we just pretty much accepted.
So where along the way – how did these people so early on get so much power that they had more influence in those in the administration to make decisions than you the professionals.
WILKERSON: Let me try to answer you first. Let me say right off the bat I’m glad to see you here.
JONES: Thank you sir.
WILKERSON: As a Republican, I’m somewhat embarrassed by the fact that you’re the only member of my party here.
JONES: I agree.
WILKERSON: But I understand it. I’d answer you with two words. Let me put the article in there and make it three. The Vice President.
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here’s what qualifies as “intelligence” and it’s a really sad read…
from glenn greenwald…
June 26th, 2006 at 5:52 pmAnd, yes, I DO take it personally
Swift boating of Wilkerson in
three…..two……one…….
At least Jones has the BALLS to hold the hearing…..it is pathetic that we have to applaud Repubs for putting country before party……
June 26th, 2006 at 5:54 pmYes that is true > Cheney is the biggest liar in DC > even worse than Dubya Dunce Decider!
June 26th, 2006 at 5:58 pmIt’s been clear quite a while that “Dick” Cheney is the puppet master holding the strings connected to Incurous George’s back. It’s nice to have a Republican actually say it, in no uncertain terms.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:01 pmYeah Darth Cheney was the only one who thought that a Mister Softy ice-cream truck looked like an Iraqi mobile chem weapons lab.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:01 pmThis exchange is very telling:
June 26th, 2006 at 6:03 pm
Ed Shultz on Air America calls Cheny “Shooter” I crack up every time I hear it!!
June 26th, 2006 at 6:06 pmand Jones originally supported the war–I believe he came up with the idea of calling french fries “freedom fries”. and he represents a pretty conservative area of NC, I believe. Noteworthy that someone who was so firmly in the pro-war camp as Jones has turned around, now says the war is a mistake, and is questioning pre-war intelligence
June 26th, 2006 at 6:06 pmOuch! That was in such plain English that even the sheeple can understand it. If the MSM airs it…
I’m glad people are dispelling the diplomacy in this regard and calling it like it is.
Richard Cheney is the problem. Period. Bring out the articles of Impeachment now.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:09 pmTsk, tsk, tsk ….
Over at dailyKermit.com (Kos’s bug eyes which never seem to blink make him look like Kermit the frog to me), Kermit is trying to throw attention of himself, feigning humility while truly fearing the intense scrutiny that he is now getting.
Mainstream media fears that Kermit is using this and other Iraq issues to split or take over control of the Democratic Party. In today’s postings, Kermit denies that specificity of the allegation, while not denying his methods, as described in CTG, are intended to do just that.
All this frothing at the mouth may change the Democratic Party, but it won’t change the outcome of elections.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:09 pmJason,
I don’t read DailyKos, and I wonder what that has to do with this thread? I realize you are most likely trying to get a reaction, calling it dailykermit, the term frothing at the mouth etc. If you don’t have anything to add, please be quite.
No real suprise as far as Cheney’s influence, didn’t he sign the PNAC? George was the manchurian candidate to get all this stuff done. He is the front for a cabal of power.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:13 pmHe is the front for a cabal of power.
Comment by Krazny — June 26, 2006 @ 6:13 pm
I call him a hand puppet. Same difference :)
June 26th, 2006 at 6:16 pmWatch your back…. Shooter might ask you progressives to a quail hunt.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:19 pmJason’s piss poor attempt at threadjacking…
Jason, we’ve been watching the dumping on DKos for over a week now. Do you think you are telling us something new? Apparently, you expect us to take your view of it too. I didn’t think you were quite that dumb. I may have misjudged you.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:24 pmWhich would be worse:
Quail hunting with shooter or a 15 minute conversation with Bush (and only he can do the talking)?
June 26th, 2006 at 6:25 pmGee, someone finally told the TRUTH and how long did this take?!!
June 26th, 2006 at 6:25 pmNot sure Jules, I wouldn’t have to listen to Bush if I went quail hunting, on the other I woudln’t want the hospital time from being shot.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:31 pmThe truth matters. Who can trust the neocons to get it right after they’ve gotten it wrong so many times? Cheney is the stinking turd stuck on the bottom of every GOP shoe during the next two election cycles. Every GOP candidate needs to explain their rubber-stamp endorsement of every failed neocon policy. The great majority of the country (everyone but that 31%) has lost faith in President Bush and his Administration’s conducting of matters of the US of A. Had enough?
June 26th, 2006 at 6:35 pm#15 – Oh just shoot me…
June 26th, 2006 at 6:37 pmThe great majority of the country (everyone but that 31%) has lost faith in President Bush and his Administration’s conducting of matters of the US of A. Had enough?
Comment by Above the Clouds — June 26, 2006 @ 6:35 pm
I cannot imagine what it will take for those 31% to finally open their eyes. A woman my husband works with is a huge Bush fan. But then again she actually believes we won in Vietanm!!!
June 26th, 2006 at 6:39 pmHmm, Jason, you are trashing a DLC shill. Thank you for finally making sense.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:41 pmOver at dailyKermit.com … is trying to throw attention of himself, feigning humility while truly fearing the intense scrutiny that he is now getting.
another LIE, another reichwing talking point…
June 26th, 2006 at 6:44 pmsee crookesandliars – start here
#11, Krazny,
Because this story, and all the witch hunts over Iraq that are peppering the news, strengthens liberal netrooters role in the Democratic Party. I am trying to get all of you to see the larger context and the ultimate results.
In chess, you need to see the larger strategy, not comment on each movement in isolation.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:46 pm. . . and what Cheney and the White House most afraid of? The one thing they cannot “Swift Boat” sloganize or manipulate –he truth. A lie can be spun in any direction but truth is a compass which will always point to their BS, failures, lies, and crimes–which are without number. Had enough?
One question Dick, “Why was ANYONE in the White House talking about Joe Wilson’s wife for ANY reason?”
June 26th, 2006 at 6:46 pmThank you for your response j Hendler.
This thread was discussing the testimoony of Wilkerson, a Rep assistant to Collin Powell. His opinion is that cheney screwedup the intell on Iraq. Wilderson was an Repub insider who was at the table during the leadup to the war. Therefore his thoughts are of interest. This is sort of important since 2522 American soliders have been KIA and 8505 have been wounded bad enough not to return to duty. Not to mention the total cost of Iraq to the American people will between 400 and 2000 million if future medical care and loss of livelyhood is considered.
It is clownish at best to be making fun of a person’s facial features and giving them nicknames when adults are trying to discuss issues of war, blood and treasure.
Your comment doesn’t address these important issues of the thread but instead makes a personal attack on Kos reguarding his appearence. This is irrelevant and brings to mind grammer school playground insults. Amusing perhaps, but not helpful.
In regarding your “frothing at the mouth” comment; another personal attack which is irrelevant. BTW please read the First Amendment.
Your only useful sentence is your opinion reguarding the outcome of elections. Thanks for your opinion.
At this time, approximately 67% of Americans do not think the country is going in the right direction. Name calling and funny nicknames will not help America move forward through this difficult period. Any serious suggestions on your part to help American would be appreciated.
mdphd
June 26th, 2006 at 6:48 pmWhat is larger or more ultimate than the entire world hating us over our foriegn policy of bomb first and use diplomacy second?
June 26th, 2006 at 6:50 pm#26, Spudge_Boy,
14 years of diplomacy did not change Saddam’s behaviours. He expelled inspectors and thwarted economic sanctions. You can’t say diplomacy was not tried.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:53 pmThe problem is that the 31% think everything in the country and around the world is peachy, because Bush tells them so.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:53 pmWilkerson ain’t coverin’ Colin’s colon, yuh think?
June 26th, 2006 at 6:54 pmDuh! We’ve been saying it for nearly six years. Why is this a surprise to anyone? Oh yes, now I remember….the mainstream media suppressed every single bit of corroboration. And they’ll continue to do so…..
The Smoking Gun is Dick Cheney….founding member of PNAC, warmonger, war criminal and war profiteer:
June 26th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
This is a pathetic statement of how un-intelligent our country has become.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:54 pmPlease understand the NY Times will be investigated leading up to the fall election. The Republican base demands it. We will find out who is committing treason over at the times and try them. AND there is NOTHING the left can do about it.
We will do to the Times what you couldn’t do to Karl Rove – get an INDICTMENT. I warned you that the left-wing witch hunt would backfire in your face. It has and you LOSE. You can’t win the election if the Times and their cronies in the Democratic Party are being investigated. You have no idea what you are in for.
June 26th, 2006 at 6:58 pmHey stupid,
There is a whole thread dedicated to this topic. But, since you missed that do to lack of intelligence, it goes like this. BUSH ALREADY BLEW THE COVER OF THE BANKING ACTIVITY.
George W. Bush
Hershey Lodge and Convention Center
Hershey, Pennsylvania
WhiteHouse.gov
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ news/ releases/ 2004/ 04/ 20040419-4.html
Looks like Bush is the guy who let the cat outta the bag on this one. Let’s start the investigation.
KILL THE MESSENGER NOW!
June 26th, 2006 at 7:02 pmMs. McCarthy:
Are you also willing to try the REPUBLICAN individual on the WH staff that leaked this information to the press?
What about the WSJ?
June 26th, 2006 at 7:03 pmSo let me understand Jason, you refer to the mounting evidence of a campaign by the bush administration to lead this country to war over false pretenses as a witch hunt. Out of curiosity, what was your stance on the whitewater investigation? At any rate the evidence is there for those who wish to see the lies told to get us into this war.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:03 pm#27 “14 years of diplomacy did not change Saddam’s behaviours. He expelled inspectors and thwarted economic sanctions. You can’t say diplomacy was not tried.”
Are you joking Hendler or are you ignorant to the fact that the inspectors were getting what they wanted when that little pecker Bush decided to invade? Oh, that’s right you would believe the lying sack before you would believe Hans Blix.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:04 pm#34 – the WSJ doesn’t matter. We are going after the Times. Just like you guys overlooked the fact that Joe Wilson was partisan liar in your witch hunt against Karl Rove, we will overlook teh WSJ.
I begged, pleaded with the left not to go there. You didn’t listen. Now you pay.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:07 pmThis just in! Lawrence Wilkerson eats puppies! I know, I couldn’t eblieve it when I heard it either, it’s so disgusting, and he is disgusting and no doubt he will deny this, as he is inclined to lie so much about his past. Sad, sad puppy eater.
Um…
He was also a Democratic plant in the Republican party.
So, we all straight? Wilkerson = Democrat = Puppy Eater. Pay no attention to him. Happy 4th of July, America!
June 26th, 2006 at 7:08 pmUMM I think Mary needs to up her/his meds, I am unsure how we are going to “pay”. Anything to say on the topic that Cheney was responsible for the bad intel that got us into the war in Iraq?
June 26th, 2006 at 7:09 pm#35, Kranzy,
The Clinton administration saw over a dozen of its cronies convicted, so there must have been something to the countless investigations.
#36, JPark,
Focus, the point is that diplomacy wasn’t working to persuade Saddam from being a destabilizing force in the region.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:11 pmSaddam a destabalizing force?After being assisted by the U.S. in the Iran /Iraq war Saddam nationalized the Iraqi oil industry keeping out American and multinational oil Co.’s. I guess some people enjoy believing the many right wing propaganda cover stories.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:20 pmthis guy was on throughout the Frontline telecast “The Dark Side”… He was quite excellent… now, if only we could get his former boss to step forward and expose the administration…
June 26th, 2006 at 7:23 pmWhich would be worse:
Quail hunting with shooter or a 15 minute conversation with Bush (and only he can do the talking)?
Comment by Jules — June 26, 2006 @ 6:25 pm
Can I add one:
June 26th, 2006 at 7:26 pmOr being subjected to a full day of Jason’s posts?
Of the three, I chose quail hunting. At least I have my reflexes to dive for cover.
#36 JPark…That is not acurate. On January 27, 2003, just two months before Coalition forces entered Iraq, Hans Blix delievered these comments to the UN Security Council:
“Unlike South Africa, which decided on its own to eliminate its nuclear weapons and welcomed the inspection as a means of creating confidence in its disarmament, Iraq appears not to have come to a genuine acceptance, not even today, of the disarmament which was demanded of it and which it needs to carry out to win the confidence of the world and to live in peace.”
“In this updating, I’m bound, however, to register some problems. The first are related to two kinds of air operations. While we now have the technical capability to send a U-2 plane placed at our disposal for aerial imagery and for surveillance during inspections and have informed Iraq that we plan to do so, Iraq has refused to guarantee its safety unless a number of conditions are fulfilled.
As these conditions went beyond what is stipulated in Resolution 1441 and what was practiced by UNSCOM and Iraq in the past, we note that Iraq is not so far complying with our requests. I hope this attitude will change.”
” I’m obliged to note some recent disturbing incidents and harassment … On a number of occasions, demonstrations have taken place in front of our offices and at inspection sites. The other day, a sightseeing excursion by five inspectors to a mosque was followed by an unwarranted public outburst. Inspectors went without U.N. insignia and were welcomed in the kind manner that is characteristic of the normal Iraqi attitude to foreigners. They took off their shoes and were taken around. They asked perfectly innocent questions and parted with the invitation to come again.
Shortly thereafter, we received protests from the Iraqi authorities about an unannounced inspection and about questions not relevant to weapons of mass destruction. Indeed, they were not.
Demonstrations and outbursts of this kind are unlikely to occur in Iraq with initiative or encouragement from the authorities. We must ask ourselves what the motives may be for these events. They do not facilitate an already difficult job, in which we try to be effective, professional, and at the same time correct. Where our Iraqi counterparts have some complaint, they can take it up in a calmer and less unpleasant manner.”
June 26th, 2006 at 7:29 pmTitus,
June 26th, 2006 at 7:35 pmI take it you saw “Dark Side”.
How was it?
Does anyone know if it’ll replay?
Fifteen with alfred e…hands down.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:40 pmPowell’s Chief of Staff Blames Cheney for Intel Manipulation…
“I’d answer you with two words — let me put the article in there and make it three: The Vice President.”…
June 26th, 2006 at 7:43 pmthunderkol,
You could take Dumbya for a whole 15 minutes, not being able to say a word to him?
Better person than I….
(of course, I am the one who has been touting the Bush Countdown for the past 2 months! http://www.backwardsbush.com
June 26th, 2006 at 7:46 pmLittle gift I found and gave to myself for my 40th.)
I would also remind JPark that the only reason Saddam Hussein even allowed Hans Blix’s UNMOVIC team back into Iraq at all — after barring the UN weapons inspectors from re-entering that nation for four years after President Clinton launched Operation: Desert Fox — was because President Bush and PM Blair sent military forces to the Gulf region in 2002 and the U.S. Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution in Oct. 2002.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:47 pmTrueblue: Does anyone know if it’ll (The Dark Side) replay?
Watch it online or check your local PBS schedule:
June 26th, 2006 at 7:49 pmhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darkside/
ooooohhhhhh!
June 26th, 2006 at 7:52 pmThank You, Badmoodman!
So, now do you believe me? This is Republican congressman saying this, not some tin hat wacko with a grudge. A truculent attitude is a long, long way from a deliverable WMD, but Darth & Cabal made up the difference with lies, lies, and damned lies. Darth got his little war for juice but we got the truth. Remember Darth works for the Texas Boy Emperor and the buck stops with him.
And as I have repeated oft, the Italian job was their’s too.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:56 pmHistory is starting solidify.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:56 pmEverytime I read one of these rigth wingers say that we are on a left wing “witch hunt” I can’t stop but remember the fact that the Salem Witch Trials were committed by conservative right wing religious zealots. The same kind of people who think Bush is great.
You right wingers might want to come up with a better analogy, because “witch hunt” just reminds people about what we don’t need in this country.
June 26th, 2006 at 8:12 pmAhh, so Exley, you agree that Saddam complied after the authorization of force. Thanks for backing me up.
June 26th, 2006 at 8:30 pmtrolls – what diff does it make? Saddam WAS contained. Had no WMD. Posed no threat. Containment was 1-2 billion a year and would have taken 200-400 years to equal what we have flushed down the toilet. For what? 2522 DEAD U.S. troops and counting, thousands of US personnel wounded and lives shattered. 50-100K dead Iraqis. US reputation and prestige in the gutter. Our economy is teetering as we have sold our souls to the Chinese. Our consitition is in tatters, we have become immoral – willing to countenance toruture. PNAC is a panacea – it will never work because we have created so much ill will. The greatest army on the planet cannot win an asymetrical war. It showed our achilles heel, and has made us MUCH weaker.
June 26th, 2006 at 8:34 pmHow you fascist continue to defend the indefensible is beyond my comprehension.
I wish more repugs were like Jones – an man that places country before party.
Motives Exley? Perhaps you should ask your leaders exactly what motives they had for attacking a country that with or without WMD was no threat to the US.
June 26th, 2006 at 8:35 pmYou right wingers might want to come up with a better analogy, because “witch hunt†just reminds people about what we don’t need in this country.
Comment by Spudge_Boy — June 26, 2006 @ 8:12 pm
The witch hunts came to an end in Salem when the Governor’s wife, along with some other prominent people, were accused of being witches. The Govenor immediately pardoned those in jail and had the judge close the case on all other’s accused.
Time to ship Jenna and Barbara to Iraq with standard military issue equipment (i.e. none). Time to let the pigeons come home to roost…
June 26th, 2006 at 8:35 pmWell said Jorge – that is the precisely crux of the matter. And why there are 32% of the country who still defends this corrupt regime is beyond me. Even my long-long Republican relatives are now anti-neocon and anti-Bush Administration.
June 26th, 2006 at 8:40 pm“Saddam WAS contained. Had no WMD. Posed no threat.”
exactly Jorge. the sanctions didn’t fail to contain him. That doesn’t mean Saddam was a great guy. But he was not an imminent threat justifying this nightmare of a war
June 26th, 2006 at 8:53 pm25–good post mdphd
June 26th, 2006 at 8:54 pmunbelievable,
I watched a show on Discovery where they figured out what really happened in Salem. It was moldy rye. Back then they used to store their grain underground. That year was very moist and there were abundant crops, so by the the time they were getting down to the bottom of their supply, it had been moist underground for a long time, leading to mold.
Moldy rye causes convulsions, halucinations, fevers and other odd behavior that lead to three 12 year old girls making up stories about people.
Fascinating.
June 26th, 2006 at 8:54 pmWell Trueblue i have to be honest and tell you of my facination with meatloaf. To be able to have a sit down with one that talks would be to good to pass up.
June 26th, 2006 at 9:02 pmAre all cons idiots like Jason and Mary? These guys are clueless…maybe that is why they support a moron like the drunken AWOL chimpanzee, Dubya.
June 26th, 2006 at 9:18 pm[...] via Think Progess for transcript [...]
June 26th, 2006 at 9:19 pmIn comment #25, mdphd wrote:
>This is sort of important since 2522 American soliders
>have been KIA and 8505 have been wounded bad
>enough not to return to duty. Not to mention the total
>cost of Iraq to the American people will between 400
>and 2000 million if future medical care and loss of
>livelyhood is considered.
You make some great points, but change “million” to “billion”. Yup, before this war is over, it’s likely that the cost to the American people will surpass a trillion dollars.
That’s $1,000,000,000,000.
And on that staunch bastion of liberalism, The McLaughlin Group, this week, the estimated number of Iraqi people killed since the conflict started at 125,000 (as I recall).
Even if we assume that the insurgents killed an average of 20 civilians a day, that’s roughly 25,000 killed by insurgents and 100,000 killed by the “Coalition of the Willing”. How many of those 100,000 were insurgents and Iraqi troops (during the initial invasion)? The rest were civilians who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, including women, children, and the elderly.
Dave Comstock
June 26th, 2006 at 9:36 pm#62 – Ergot fungus. Very interesting stuff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergot
June 26th, 2006 at 9:37 pmMoldy rye causes convulsions, halucinations, fevers and other odd behavior that lead to three 12 year old girls making up stories about people.
Comment by Spudge_Boy — June 26, 2006 @ 8:54 pm
Thanks, I am actually using Salem in one of my architectural presentations on Colonial America, as it also boasts the home of Nathaniel Hawthorne (no wonder his works were so creepy – with countrymen that burned witches at the whim of bored pubescent girls to influence him..). I had read that there were possible causes that were either some form of encephalitis or mold. The mold seemed more likely… thanks for confirming it.
Just like the religious right – persecute the ill… while blaming the Devil
June 26th, 2006 at 9:39 pm.
[...] Former Admin. Official Needs Only Three Words To Explain Manipulation of Intel: ‘The Vice President’ [...]
June 26th, 2006 at 9:50 pm[...] Â http://thinkprogress.org/2006/06/26/wilkerson-vp/ [...]
June 26th, 2006 at 10:24 pm#27 He expelled inspectors…
No he didn’t. They had to leave because Bush announced he was going to invade Iraq. When you just repeat the BS you hear all the time on right-wing talk radio, it makes you look stupid.
and thwarted economic sanctions.
Circumvented. With the help of some greedy Americans and Europeans.
You can’t say diplomacy was not tried.
I’m pretty sure I can. Here goes: Diplomacy was not tried.
Bush doesn’t do diplomacy. He can say the word if he gets to practice first, but he absolutely does not do it.
June 26th, 2006 at 11:12 pmWow. I just watched the video clip.
This is not going to bode well for the Vice President, or for the Bush administration as a whole.
June 26th, 2006 at 11:21 pm#62-Spudge Boy, wow, that is an amazing story. How tragic that hundreds of years later those in positions of authority still seize on the most implausible explanations, then dismissing any other explanations, no matter how logical in comparison, because they are terrified of the repercussions from their actions.And so it drags on, until the ‘last straw’ appears.
June 26th, 2006 at 11:30 pmwow “the traitor” really thinks they are important. going after the new york times! i wonder why such a high-powered operative of the republican party is spending their time here?
must be a complete and total loser.
June 27th, 2006 at 1:07 am” Ed Shultz on Air America calls Cheny “Shooter†I crack up every time I hear it!!
Comment by Jules — June 26, 2006 @ 6:06 pm ”
That’s OK Jules. Rush Limbaugh calls Teddy Kennedy “The Swimmer” and Robert Byrd “Sheets Byrd.” I crack up every time I hear that. = )
June 27th, 2006 at 1:20 amCheck out http://www.imfowars.com for Cheney video worshiping Pagan dieties and sacrificing children.
June 27th, 2006 at 1:36 amSurprise, surprise………..Darth Vader manipulated intel
June 27th, 2006 at 1:55 amDarth Vader molests ‘kept’ children with his oversized eiquipment.
June 27th, 2006 at 2:37 amDarth Vader molests ‘kept’ children with his oversized equipment.
June 27th, 2006 at 2:38 amAddressing a previous comment just to clarify; Jones did not hold this hearing. This was a Democratic Policy Committee hearing. Jones is neither a democrat nor a senator. The hearing was chaired by Senator Byron Dorgan.
And by the way, did anyone notice that there was nothing about this hearing on the news? C-SPAN3 was the only place where it could be found.
June 27th, 2006 at 2:38 amFrom The Weekly Standard.com
What Lawrence Wilkerson Forgot to Include in his Los Angeles Times “Cabal” Op-Ed
Lawrence Wilkerson, chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, unleashed lots of vitriol in his Los Angeles Times piece yesterday, which was inspired, he says, by the speech have gave last week in Washington, DC. But what Wilkerson left out of his Times piece was the answer he gave during the Q&A following the speech. He said that French and German intelligence believed what Powell presented to the UN was “the truth” and that the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) also believed Powell was “right” on Saddam’s chemical and biological weapons. Wilkerson’s revelation doesn’t quite square with the “cabal made it up” theme peddled by anti-Bush liberals — which probably explains why the media ignored it.
…I can’t tell you why the French, the Germans, the Brits and us thought that most of the material, if not all of it, that we presented at the U.N. on 5 February 2003 was the truth. I can’t. I’ve wrestled with it. I don’t know – and people say, well, INR dissented. That’s a bunch of bull. INR dissented that the nuclear program was up and running. That’s all INR dissented on. They were right there with the chems and the bios….
When you see a satellite photograph of all the signs of the chemical weapons ASP – Ammunition Supply Point – with chemical weapons, and you match all those signs with your matrix on what should show a chemical ASP, and they’re there, you have to conclude that it’s a chemical ASP, especially when you see the next satellite photograph which shows the U.N. inspectors wheeling in in their white vehicles with black markings on them to that same ASP and everything is changed, everything is clean. None of those signs are there anymore.
But George [Tenet] was convinced, John McLaughlin [then deputy DCI] was convinced that what we were presented [for Powell's UN speech] was accurate….
Wilkerson also said that French intelligence believed the aluminum tubes were designed for centrifuges.
The French came in in the middle of my deliberations at the CIA and said, we have just spun aluminum tubes, and by god, we did it to this RPM, et cetera, et cetera, and it was all, you know, proof positive that the aluminum tubes were not for mortar casings or artillery casings, they were for centrifuges. Otherwise, why would you have such exquisite instruments?
June 27th, 2006 at 3:10 amOh my, you mean we might have actually been lied to by those in power? Say it isn’t so!
While you’re telling tall tales, tell me once again that dumbya was legally elected, and that they aren’t spying on innocent Americans and they aren’t torturing people in the concentration camps. Heck, as long as you are lying to me, tell me that all people are equal – rich, poor, gays, Mexicans, and such.
Also, while you are lying to me, tell me why we throw the book at so called terra-ists that are so poor that they can’t buy explosives or boots, and they take the focus off the real stories of the weekend – Big brother looking into all your banking transactions, and you know all the while they are reading your mail, e-mail and listening in on your phone conversations. All illegal activity, but lie to me and tell me everything is “OK”.
June 27th, 2006 at 4:14 amAnd tell me why my concern over loosing my freedom is helping the “terra-ists”?
Man Coulter should be able to clear this up.
June 27th, 2006 at 4:17 amDoesn’t it seem very likely that corporate motives for administrative lying will continue to mount in importance? The Bush administrative style is disgustingly opaque. Silence everyone; trust me; whatever I do is perfectly legal.
But astonishingly no one seriously thinks impeachment is a solution. Why? The new boss will be exactly like the old boss. A wise boss always allows his bosses to be corporate “interests.”
Democracy is doomed by according the status of persons to corporations.
Isn’t it terrible that we readers allow ourselves to be duped by the most transparent and superficial manipulations by media managers?
June 27th, 2006 at 4:56 amTHis is to funny that Jason is drinking the koolaide, If Jason would had been doing his home work, he would had known about America role in the creation of Saddam power in the 80’s up to the 90’s when daddy Bush was still the Commander and theif, Jason have you read about PNAC and the letter that was sent to President Clinton to attack Iraq, Now here in the 2000 that same plan to attack Iraq is was back on the table then it happen, Jason most of all of Iraq weapons had been depleted in the 90’s and the inspectors were in the country before Bush told them to leave, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 much as you want to believe it sorry it’s not true, I wonder what would had happen if America would had invaded Mexico instead of attacking Japan for the Pearl Habor attacks, my guess is that we would still be fighting our neighbor Mexico today, but thank God that we had a Real President and Congress at that time, isn’t it so funny today this is election year, and all of a sudden this administration have been finding terrorist leaks in this country, is this a ploy to make the peoples of America think that this administration and this Republican congress is protecting us, well let’s put it like this, these clowns didn’t protect this country even knowing that we were going to be hit back in 2001, this administration was warn back then and did nothing lets not forget about that.
June 27th, 2006 at 7:40 amOh my God..what the f does it take to remove these
June 27th, 2006 at 8:13 ambastards from office? There have been a number of books which
have spelled out what The Dark Side so brilliantly pieces together.
The dems should be going crazy..We should be going crazy..in the
streets….noone should hang a flag on the 4th..it represents total
Fascism at this point..
yes…they fixed the intel. leading us to war…proven time and time again…why are these crooks still on the loose…?!
June 27th, 2006 at 9:04 amThe Criminals in this administration are above all laws.
June 27th, 2006 at 9:05 amThey make the rules and change the laws as they go.
Anything and everything that they do, according to them, is legal because their half-wit said the word ‘war’.
If the MSM and Dems help them steal November . . . the shit is gonna hit the fan.
The revolution that is on it’s way is something they’ve been planning on.
I stayed up very late to watch the hearings on C-Span – it was worth the bleary-eyed morning. That this is not covered by the MSM is further evidence of the influence of the nefarious BushCo.
June 27th, 2006 at 9:55 am#71 Jimb,
“Jason” was referring to the fact that Saddam Hussein did not allow the UNSCOM inspectors back into Iraq after President Clinton launched Operation Desert Fox in 1998. Saddam’s refusal to admit the inspectors after that joint U.S.-U.K. operation was the reason why there were no inspectors in Iraq from 1998 to 2002, when Saddam finally re-admitted the inspectors only after President Bush and PM Blair began building up forces in the Gulf region and Congress passed U.S. Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution in Oct. 2002.
You misunderstood Jason’s post. You owe him an apology.
June 27th, 2006 at 10:11 am#85
“Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 much as you want to believe it sorry it’s not true, I wonder what would had happen if America would had invaded Mexico instead of attacking Japan for the Pearl Habor attacks…”
Heh! Yeah…It’s also like fighting a war with Germany and Italy following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor! How stupid would THAT have been??!!!!……
Oh, wait……..Never mind.
June 27th, 2006 at 10:26 amPeople, People, People – Nothing is going to get Bush or Dick Head out of Office in 2008 and this Three word bomb shell you are discussin is just more smoke and mirrors!
Do you really thing our so called elected Politicians actually run the Great Country of United Slaves of America.
Congressional Rule to the unwise:
“A Presidential Election can be suspended during times of War”.
So No Election in 2008 means No Removal of that dumb Liar President and Dich Head, INC.
So, what do you all say? Lets just sit back and Let the Repugs keep control in 2006 and then we will cast in stone the First U.S. Dictator
Are you ready for George W. Bush, U.S. Dictator !!!!! 2000 – ?
And if Dubya Liar does not leave that means Dick Head Chenney will become Dictator at some point in the Future.
And put the blame for all of this where it needs to be put. It was the Christian Right that followed Bush and Not Jesus in 2004. Blame them !
10 Trillion Dollars in Debt and you stupid fools just sit back and let Dick Head and Liar put the shaft real deep !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your children will love you for many, many years to come while they have to pay all the debt back while the Rich continue to take everything.
Dick Head and Liar Puppet can not be stopped in any conventional fashion.
Just get over it and understand that America is a joke and you all are a bunch of Slaves to a system created by the rich, of the rich and for the rich.
I just love it when People buy in to these “Lets drop a 3 word bomb” and see what the Slaves do with it.
It is just more smoke and mirrors to keep people from Uniting against the real core problem in America.
RICH F’ing A’ Holes like Dick Head and Liar, INC. who just want to get richer at everyone elses expense.
Did they every find that $5 Billion dollars that Liar Appointed “Brener” lost in IRAQ ??
Smoke and Mirrors is what we are given, while the people who really run America steal the future of this Great Country – United Slaves of America.
________________________
“It was nice while it lasted” – On the US Democracy – “General Tommy Franks 2003″
June 27th, 2006 at 11:00 amFor your information Exley, Germany declared War on us after Pearl Harbor. Dec 11th 1941.
June 27th, 2006 at 11:10 amI took the opportunity to read a recent article in Raw Story that provided a link to the Project for a New American Century document. It was upon reading that neocon Manifesto, that the whole architecture of what is coming to light is now becoming clear and apparent. The architects of this Republican Manifesto established the guidelines upon which all else is coming to be and to light, sort of “self-fulfilling prophesy”. If you look now at the past series of events, 9/11 > Whig> the tracking of the “terorists” over a period of time preceeding the attacks, the engineering of the “evidence” to “justify” the war which could be “reverse engineering” those are all the ingredients to allow the PNAC plan to happen. They talk of a “Pearl Harbor”. They knew these men were intent on their plan, what is to not stop the neocons from “guiding” these individuals to carry out their act, thus providing the “Pearl Harbor they so desired? Then it was just a matter of manipulating and fabricating the “intel” to fit the need. Then they could move forward with their scheme, intimidating inquisitive outsiders to “lay-off” for fear of being labeled “unpatriotic”. Of course this environment is conducive to all the other Republican campaigns like Halliburton and “reconstruction” of Iraq and the overcosts of supplying pentagon contracts, a-la the “Carpetbaggers” of post Civil War times. This also allows the pure distortions of reality facilitated by corporate media. These men are pure evil. We must destroy them all.
June 27th, 2006 at 11:13 amDick Cheney took down our defenses on 9/11 to further the purposes of PNAC. I would bet my life on it. That investigation has yet to gather steam, but it will. I hope I live to see that criminal behind bars.
June 27th, 2006 at 11:30 am[...] Think Progress » Former Admin. Official Needs Only Three Words To Explain Manipulation of Intel: The Vice President. [...]
June 27th, 2006 at 11:35 amthinkaboutit,
Yes, we are all aware of that fact. We are also aware it is irrelevant. This is no obligation to reciprocate a declaration of war. Germany posed no direct threat to the U.S. It had not attacked the U.S. or U.S. military forces. We went to war against Germany after Pearl Harbor, not because it declared war on us, bit because it was an ally of Japan and posed a threat to our Allies in Europe. Even if Hitler has not officially declared war on the U.S., is there any doubt that the U.S. would have sent troops to Africa and Europe to fight Germany? Of course not.
June 27th, 2006 at 11:37 amGET A ROPE.
June 27th, 2006 at 11:48 amA declaration of war by a recognized (and overtly agressive) country is not irrelevant. Yes Germany was a direct threat to the U.S. After Germany declared war they attacked our shipping lanes to Europe and Africa. What did Iraq have with 9/11?
June 27th, 2006 at 11:52 amYou make a good point about the shipping lanes, although Germany was already harassing U.S. merchant shipping before Pearl Harbor and the declaration of war. Over 243 merchant mariners were killed in attacks at sea before Pearl Harbor, the majority of those in the North Atlantic.
Germany and Japan were allies, so we fought them both. Saddam Hussein’s Iraq was a sponsor of terrorism and conllaborator with Al Qaeda, the organization that perpetrated 9/11. Hence, we fight them both.
June 27th, 2006 at 12:04 pmDuh! Of course it was the VP.
I can’t figure out if all these questions are rhetorical— whether they’re all just playing dumb (covering their asses, because they should’ve/could’ve checked out the intelligence before they voted for the war)— whether they think we’re dumb— or, whether they really are dumb.
my god, of course it was the vp. how could you be so wrong for so long?…. (or were you pretending, or were you……)
June 27th, 2006 at 12:13 pm“Did they every find that $5 Billion dollars that Liar Appointed “Brener†lost in IRAQ ??”
It was closer to 8 or 9 billion. But what’s a few billion amongst theives?
June 27th, 2006 at 12:16 pmExley, now your just pushing false information. Bin Laden called Saddam a “Bad Muslim” and Saddam was not about to give up any of his grip to allow the radical element of Islam in his country. Iraq was the most westernized country in the region. And if you truly want to use the link to Al Qaeda connection then why are we still friendly with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The argument doesn’t hold water. The attacking of Iraq is only part of the bigger picture (problem). It was executed poorly, not looking past what new catch phrases could come out. No long term thought was put into appeasing the many religous and political factions in Iraq after we kicked the shit out of a large but third rate military.
June 27th, 2006 at 12:16 pmthinkaboutit,
OBL may have thought that Saddam was a “bad Muslim,” but they were more than capable of and did put aside whatever religious differences they may have had to fight their common enemy — the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The 9/11 Commission reported numerous instances of contacts and meetings between Al Qaeda and Saddam’s intelligence service, including one in which Saddam offered OBL safe haven in Iraq:
“Saddam Hussein’s efforts at this time to rebuild relations with the Saudis and other Middle Eastern regimes led him to stay clear of Bin Ladin.74 In mid-1998,the situation reversed;it was Iraq that reportedly took the initiative.In March 1998,after Bin Ladin’s public fatwa against the United States, two al Qaeda members reportedly went to Iraq to meet with Iraqi intelligence. In 1998, Iraq was under intensifying U.S. According to the reporting,Iraqi officials offered Bin Ladin a safe haven in Iraq.”
“Similar meetings between Iraqi officials and Bin Ladin or his aides may have occurred in 1999 during a period of some reported strains with the Taliban. According to the reporting, Iraqi officials offered Bin Ladin a safe haven in Iraq. Bin Ladin declined, apparently judging that his circumstances in Afghanistan remained more favorable than the Iraqi alternative. The reports describe friendly contacts and indicate some common themes in both sides’ hatred of the United States.”
June 27th, 2006 at 12:28 pm9/11 Comission Report
and what was the final conclusion of this relationship by the 9/11 commission? That there was no substantial collaboration between Saddam and OBL. Rumsfield shook hands with Saddam. Should we ship Rummy off to Gitmo? George Bush holds hands with the Saudi’s that pump money to the Wahabists. Impeachment? If you are going to stand on principles of supposes connections then lets get them all. Russians were talking to Iraq. How many troops do you think that will take? This war with Iraq was fabricated. I can fill this remaining thread with the evidence that shows the slant of ignorance toward the PNAC dream but I don’t believe it would sway you. I’ll just leave you with this. Wanting to believe in something doesn’t, in it self, make it so.
June 27th, 2006 at 12:39 pmWhere is a federal criminal indictment of President-VICE ( very appropriate) Richard B. Cheney et al. ?
June 27th, 2006 at 3:48 pmIn 1998, Dick Cheney, now US vice-president but then chief executive of a major oil services company, remarked: “I cannot think of a time when we have had a region emerge as suddenly to become as strategically significant as the Caspian.” But the oil and gas there is worthless until it is moved. The only route which makes both political and economic sense is through Afghanistan. [Guardian]????????? who next
June 27th, 2006 at 4:26 pmThe Nazi Fuhrer Adolf Hitler, in his 1925 book Mein Kampf, said: “The broad mass of the nation … will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one.â€
June 27th, 2006 at 4:31 pmCheney and Bush want privacy for their conversations, but not for anyone else’s.” –Tony Mauro in USA Today, Feb. 27, 2002
June 27th, 2006 at 4:49 pmDoes this come as a suprise to anyone ?At this late date anyone still unsure about the game plan here has been a sleep for the last 5 years ,these people are Nazi’s and for all practical purposes the press and the democrats are complicit by their TOTAL lack of outrage !!!!! Hey anybody see the great piece on the homeless cats on CNN?
June 27th, 2006 at 4:55 pmHey sam nice cut and pastes from foxes news page If you can read maybe you should peruse the PNAC’s web site your heroes all planed on wars to control oil in the mid east and AFganistan years before 911 and signed their names to it.And who likes the democrats anyway there as guilty at this stage as the neo cons and for that matter so are the republicans for allowing them to use their party as well.The suposedly liberal media has only started reporting anything of substance in the last 6 months (like haw the presidency has been violating the constitutionally protected rights of americans enlesslyfor 5 years )and now they report (ABC) their phones are bugged and the bush admin. is threatening to put tmem aeway forever or just shoot them. Try using a few of your own words it would be more polite!!!!!
June 27th, 2006 at 5:31 pmI was enjoying this thread until it was hijacked by this Sam person. I’m all for people making their points, regardless of whether I agree with them or not, but copying and pasting vast tracts of text (not even your own) into comments is just rude, and certainly doesn’t allow for proper debate – how long would it take to respond to all of the points brought up here? Also, I haven’t read everything that was pasted, but it seems at least some of it was off-topic.
If you wish to reference a more expansive piece of writing, just include a link to it – it’s the polite thing to do.
June 27th, 2006 at 11:12 pmI must not be the only one who perceives Dick Cheney as a clinical functional sociopath. Everything has a higher priority than people, apparently. Selling ideology not to inspire, but to repress is his main game, and he is quite good at it. With the assistance of evil cohorts he has been able to dehumanize the enemy and in the process Americans too. It is amazing how callous people are toward torture, the killing of children, corruption, theft, fraud and war. With the complicity of the news media an anti-American culture that justifies the unjustifiable has been cultivated. It is the acceptance of corruption, and the cynicism through which it is observed that is different. While it is true that similar behavior has occurred in government in the past; If negative behavior surfaced it was, at least, attacked in public, and possibly punished. One would suspect that all the knashing of teeth and hand ringing that went on over the Clinton affair, that writers and journalists would have a passing interest in the disrespect for the rule of law, the underming of the Constitution, and the theft of taxpayers’ money at every opportunity. Instead one can hear the crickets chirping away in a void with a presense of a detached pathology, that sticks to every word, that is worth examining
June 28th, 2006 at 7:49 am26. I am trying to get all of you to see the larger context and the ultimate results.
What is larger or more ultimate than the entire world hating us over our foriegn policy of bomb first and use diplomacy second?
The world is not hating American people at all, people in the rest of the world realize that some of your leaders have a different agenda. Time has come that republicans see the facts about 911 and the decisions after, have become a more unstable and dangerous world.
Dutch
June 28th, 2006 at 5:18 pmdo you ever think that maybe your country might be on the verge of civil war.
June 29th, 2006 at 6:45 amThe shrub, Cheney and Rummy are war criminals…. PERIOD!
June 29th, 2006 at 10:43 amIS IT NOT TRUE, that since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the DICK chain(gang)ee President (VICE) & Bush Co. Adminstration’s treatment of Detainees at Gitmo ILLEGAL and a subsequently a violtion of the 1996 Federal Law which ratifide the Third Geneva Convention of treatment of war prisoners,
THAT BUSH IS GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES !@@@@@@@@@#R%@%R@R%@#@
July 5th, 2006 at 9:52 am[...] According to Colin Powell’s former chief of staff the twisting of Iraq war intel, and the success in silencing dissent among senior intellligence officials, is no mystery. It can be summed up in three words: Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.): My question is this to all four of you who would like to answer, maybe it’s a very simple question. I apologize if it’s been asked before. But what perplexes me is how in the world could professionals – I’m not criticizing anybody here at this table – but how could the professionals see what was happening and nobody speak out? [...]
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