-Caveat Lector- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-411875,00.html
September 12, 2002 Bush lacks proof to justify Iraq war, US politicians say By Katty Kay in Washington and Michael Evans, Defence Editor CONGRESSIONAL leaders said yesterday that President Bush had not produced ground-breaking intelligence that justifies an attack on Iraq ahead of his speech to the United Nations today, when he will insist that military action is vital to world security. After receiving an intelligence briefing from the White House on Iraq’s weapons capability, senior Democrats, along with some Republicans, said they had not been persuaded that Iraq represented an immediate danger to the US. The White House had hoped that Congress would fall into line more quickly and has been surprised by the level of antagonism from Capitol Hill. Members from both parties told the White House that they should not be rushed into a vote on Iraq in the next few weeks while the US remains so isolated on the issue. The scepticism from senators came as Tony Blair’s official spokesman announced that the British Government’s dossier on President Saddam Hussein’ s weapons of mass destruction would be published in the week beginning September 23. The dossier is being updated daily with covertly acquired intelligence. Aware that the official Whitehall dossier has to be as definitive as possible, officials compiling the final draft are trying to make maximum use of the latest secret information without compromising intelligence sources. Defence sources said that the dossier would not contain “killer details” that revealed everything about Saddam’s clandestine programme, but it would show that Saddam has the capability to launch biological and chemical attacks, even though his nuclear programme is not as advanced. The dossier is being co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office and has drawn on intelligence and assessments that were mainly supplied by MI6, MI5, the Government Communications Headquarters, the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence. The dossier will also give a long-term prognosis of how Saddam might deploy and exploit his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction if he were allowed to pursue his programmes without restraint. There is confidence in Whitehall that the British dossier will help to win support for tough action against Saddam. But in Washington, Nancy Pelosi, the House Minority Whip and the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said that the briefing from George Tenet, the CIA Director, and Condoleezza Rice, the National Security Adviser, had produced nothing but “embellishments” on existing information. She said that she knew of no information that showed the threat from Iraq was so immediate that Congress could not wait until January to vote on an attack resolution. Also, in a joint letter to Mr Bush, Senator Joseph Biden, a leading Democrat, and Senator Richard Lugar, a senior Republican, told the President there was still widespread dissent among politicians about the use of force in Iraq. Democrats and Republicans agreed that Mr Bush had a unique opportunity to change minds at the UN, but said that he would have to come up with something better than what they had been shown. There was no “smoking gun”, one congressional leader said. Robert Menendez, a Democratic congressman, said of the intelligence briefing: “What was described as new is not new. It was not compelling enough. Did I see a clear and present danger to the United States? No.” Those briefed urged Mr Bush to give them more time before asking Congress to vote on authorising a strike against Iraq. Democrats are particularly keen not to be put in the position of having to vote on war just before they face reelection on November 5. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
