US spies missed signs of Aug. 21 Syrian WMD Strike

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By KIMBERLY DOZIER

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. intelligence agencies did not detect the Syrian regime readying a massive chemical weapons attack in the days ahead of the strike, only piecing together what had happened after the fact, U.S. officials say.

One of the key pieces of intelligence that Secretary of State John Kerry later used to link the attack to the Syrian government - intercepts of communications telling Syrian military units to prepare for the strikes - was in the hands of U.S. intelligence agencies but had not yet been "processed," according to senior U.S. officials.

That explains why the White House did not warn either the regime or the rebels who might be targeted as it had done when detecting previous preparations for chemical strikes.

"We know that for three days before the attack the Syrian regime's chemical weapons personnel were on the ground in the area making preparations," Kerry said as he presented the evidence in a State Department speech last week. "We know that the Syrian regime elements were told to prepare for the attack by putting on gas masks and taking precautions associated with chemical weapons."

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130904/DA8JQ7S00.html

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This Aug. 25, 2013 file photo shows black columns of smoke rising from heavy shelling in the Jobar neighborhood in East of Damascus, Syria. U.S. intelligence agencies did not detect the Syrian regime readying a massive chemical weapons attack in the days ahead of the strike, only piecing together what had happened after the fact, U.S. officials say. One of the key pieces of intelligence Secretary of State John Kerry later used to link the attack to the Syrian government _ intercepts of communications telling Syrian military units to prepare for the strikes _ was in the hands of U.S. intelligence agencies but had not yet been "processed," according to senior U.S. officials. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)

[Snake Plissken]

1. Oh I get it now, we're supposed to be thanking the NSA for spying on us

because if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be Green Lighting an attack on Syria right now.

[postulater]

2. Oh, they'll blame it on the sequester.

Lack of funds.

[toby jo]

3. Not a problem - they've got my keystrokes on their radar....

[Hydra]

4. Two words:

B--- S---. If they really have evidence, they had it processed before it happened. "Oops...I guess we have to invade now..."

[polly7]

9. I agree.

In Rush to Strike Syria, U.S. Tried to Derail U.N. Probe

http://www.zcommunications.org/in-rush-to-strike-syria-u-s-tried-to-derail-u-n-probe-by-gareth-porter.html


How Intelligence Was Twisted to Support an Attack on Syria

http://www.zcommunications.org/how-intelligence-was-twisted-to-support-an-attack-on-syria-by-gareth-porter.html

[Wernothelpless]

11. This has more to do with the end of quantitative easing ...

and the slump of the stock market than it does with nerve gas ... the timing is unmistakable ...

[Triana]

5. Too busy spying on Americans to notice, I presume? n/t

[zabet]

6. Exactly

+1

[questionseverything]

15. plus 1

eom

[dhol82]

7. Gee

Looks like our crack CIA operatives were totally on top of the situation again.

[Earth_First]

8. One solution: Increase the budget to one brazillion dollars!

Well because, 'Murica*!

*Yes I know I've been overplaying the 'Murica phrase lately...

[andlor]

10. I'm sorry. I don't believe any of this bullshit.

The players have changed but the song remains the same.

[KansDem]

12. Equine excrement

Not another "we got the intel wrong" excuse. They must think we're complete morons...

[FiveGoodMen]

16. "They must think we're complete morons"

We voted for them twice...

[Sunlei]

13. but had not yet been "processed,"?? 3 days of set-up and noone could have warned? not acceptable!!

[bullwinkle428]

14. This is clearly all Snowden's fault.