Oh, That Nuclear Program
One thing before I get back to removing old tile:
Comes now a front-page story in The Financial Times by Mark Huband, that international newspaper’s security correspondent, headlined “Intelligence Backs Claims Iraq Had Talks on Uranium.”
Were the documents on which Bush based his charge fake? Yes; though “legal constraints” prevent the F.T. and the Italian magazine Panorama from identifying the suspected forger, the source is reportedly a convicted con man who tried to peddle phony yellowcake papers to several spy services. No wonder everybody belatedly ran from any notion that Iraq sought the uranium product from Niger.
But hold that horselaugh: “Embarrassment on fake documents obscured earlier intelligence that Iraq may have been trying to buy uranium,” notes an F.T. subheading. Huband writes: “Three intelligence services were aware of possible illicit trade in uranium from Niger between 1999 and 2001. Human intelligence . . . had shown Niger officials referring to possible illicit uranium deals with at least five countries, including Iraq. This intelligence provided clues about plans by Libya and Iran to develop their undeclared nuclear programs.”
That’s Bill Safire in today’s NYT. Read the whole thing.
Stephen,
Do you ever get the feeling that Bill Safire is doing his best to emulate Don Quixote? He is fighting a losing battle against the Gray Lady’s disinformation campaign. Do the publishers keep him on staff for the titters and guffaws he provides them? Is he providing enough “conservative columnist” leavening to make the rest of the paper more palatable?
Arrrrghhh!
Now Safire is repeating the canard! Will somebody sit him down and read over the text of the SOTU with him? Once the the media starts repeating a falsehood it’s decided is the truth, it’s a hopeless battle. I give up.
Next France must give uo it’s WMD or else
Someone needs to clue Safire in, that Bush was basing his claims on statements by British Intelligence, and the Brits still stand by their claims.
Sigh, poor guy needs to get away from NY more often, they’re softening his brain.