Powell: Some Iraq testimony based on 'flawed' intelligence

[radfringe]

Flip-flop, back-tracking, clarification or is bush* mis-administration finally (sort of) admitting they were wrong?or will Powell be the next "disgruntled partisan former official"...

=============================

Powell: Some Iraq testimony based on 'flawed' intelligence
Saturday, April 3, 2004 Posted: 3:56 AM EST (0856 GMT)
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/04/03/powell.iraq/index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has said some of his testimony to the U.N. Security Council weeks before the start of the war in Iraq was apparently based on "flawed sources" and appeared not to be "solid."

Powell's admission came in an off-camera discussion with reporters aboard his flight back to Washington from Brussels Friday evening.

Powell's appearance before the Security Council on February 5, 2003, was a major event in the United States' effort to win international support for the Bush administration contention that war against Iraq was justified because of evidence that former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction.

---------------

Powell Not Sure Iraq Trailers Were Labs
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20040402223609990003&_mpc=news%2e6
BY BARRY SCHWEID, AP

WASHINGTON (April 2) - Secretary of State Colin Powell conceded Friday evidence he presented to the United Nations that two trailers in Iraq were used for weapons of mass destruction may have been wrong.

---snip---

David Kay, who led the hunt for the weapons, showed off a pair of trailers for news cameras last summer and argued that the two metal flatbeds were designed for making biological weapons.

But faced with mounting challenges to that theory, Kay conceded in October he could have been wrong. He said he did not know whether Iraq ever had a mobile weapons program.

[smartass]

1. I want to know how ol' Colin was able to smuggle a vial of

anthrax into the UN when he was arguing for war in Iraq.

[izzie]

2. Powell did his duty, and is now done.

They used him. He was bigger with the people than Bush. Now he he done. Sort of sad.

[smartass]

3. Powell was sad before Bush. Remember that he was involved

in the cover up of the Mai Lai massacre. What a guy!

[izzie]

9. I did not know that. In other words he does as he is told.

A man that can only take orders, right?

[Zhade]

32. THANK you.

It's a testament to the power of propaganda in this country that people believe Powell was somehow a "good guy" until the last couple of years. It's very much like how some people think the neoconservative McCain is a sane, balanced moderate - in other words, it's bullshit.

Not only did he first make waves as a U.S. military apologist for the My Lai Massacre, but he also aided and abetted Cheney in the Pentagon's censorship of media coverage of the first Gulf War.

Powell is a loyal soldier to the end. He'll probably jump in front of the firing squad that b*sh eventually gets hauled in front of!

(Note: I am not planning or advocating violence against the alleged-but-not-really-president. Just pointing out that the American people will reach a boiling point some day. Hopefully.)

[Raenelle]

26. This wasn't rape. He volunteered for the screwing.

If Skippy still had the press and public in tow, do you think Powell would be indulging in doubt now? He's a whore. If he had any conscience, he'd have quit and become a whistle-blower. Now it's just CYA for the Secretary.

[revcarol]

4. David Kay doesn't know that ALL "Curveball's" "INFORMATION"

WAS FALSE?

He's STILL spinning.

My assessment of anything the Bush administration says: Know that the OPPOSITE is true.

[radfringe]

5. forget about what I said regarding admitting they were wrong

also forget about what I said regarding... Powellto be the next "disgruntled partisan former official"...

IT'S THE CIA's FAULT!!!!

Powell Blames C.I.A. for Error on Iraq Mobile Labs
By CHRISTOPHER MARQUIS
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/03/politics/03POWE.html?ex=1081573200&en=b9ab4a83683221ef&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE
Published: April 3, 2004


WASHINGTON, April 2 — Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said Friday that he had had assurances from the intelligence community that one of the principal charges he made in a speech to the United Nations last year — that Iraq had mobile weapons laboratories — had been multisourced and was solid at the time.

Mr. Powell urged a presidential commission examining intelligence problems in Iraq to look into what he said was a failure by the Central Intelligence Agency.

[smartass]

6. Wasn't Powell quoted as saying, "I can't present this "crap" to

the UN!" when he was told to read some bulshit intelligence to the UN assembly? He knew that the intelligence he was using for a case of war with Iraq was bullshit.

[robbedvoter]

8. yes! Good catch! Also, he had HIS OWN intelligence reports

It was all reported during the "yellow cake" fiasco.
These people are shameless!

[MetaTrope]

28. There IS a presidential commission!

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/06/wmd.panel/

And we'll have "our" answers in...March 2005.

[robbedvoter]

7. CBS/Frontline had a piece on the Iraq lies

One of the most poignant moments was a moment where the inspectors (some of them US) were watching the Powell presentation from Iraq. They all somehow thought he'd really have evidence - so when they actually watched him - there was a great silence - heads shook - "he's got nothing"
I watched it on C-Span - and almost felt through the screen the embarrassment, contempt from the audience. it was a circus!

[Malva Zebrina]

10. Good article on Powell

check out the cover of The American Prospect http://tap.browsermedia.com/print/V15-4.html

The article on Powell by Michaeil Steinberg Misoverestimated is very good-you can access the article from the front page under Features --I am not so sure though, that I want to give that much credit to Bush as Steinberg does--it appears in this article as if
bush is really running things there in the White House. Uh Uh. I agree with Steinberb though--the tragedy of the Secy of State, Colin Powell, is Powell's own doing.

We saw the lies and I simply cannot believe Powell did not. I am beginning to believe, with all the lame excuses coming out, that indeed, nothing any say in the administration can be believe

There is also, BTW and excellent Article at Prospect by Jane Smiley and James Squires on how we came to this ridiculous reality of trying to sell a president by advertising and the like. It is excellent, imo.

[smartass]

14. Good article. Thanks!

[playahata1]

19. The more I read about Powell and his problems,

the more I find myself screaming: "WHY THE HELL DON'T YOU JUST RESIGN? BUT, NOOOOOOOOOOO -- YOU GOTTA PLAY THE GOOD SOLDIER, THE GOOD NEGRO, IF ONLY TO SAY THAT AT LEAST WE (BLACK PEOPLE) ARE REPRESENTING IN THE (MIS)ADMINISRATION. FOR BETTER OR WORSE."

Did he really, honestly think those idiots were going to listen to HIM? LOOK IN THE MIRROR, BLACK MAN! I don't know whether to laugh at him, or feel sorry for him.

[Malva Zebrina]

37. Oh, I don't think he cares at all

He will resign--go off onto his gated community, never caring a bit about whether or not he did anyting good for this country. He cares that he will be able to write a book or maybe two, and go on a lecture circuit to make a living.

He cares not a whit about this country and further has not the intelligence, imo, to do anything more than what he has done--nothing.

I do not think Powell is particularly gifted when it comes to intelligence.

He has, however, managed to perfect the "walk and the talk" look before the cameras.

[LiberalFighter]

39. He won't resign

Anyone that was involved in the Mai Lai Masscre like he was would never consider anything he does as being wrong and therefore would not consider resigning.

Powell has no honor or integrity. It is all fabricated for the public.

[teryang]

11. Powell is a liar and a fraud

He knowingly made misrepresentations to the UN, mostly for consumption by the American public. He knew that the security council wasn't buying before he started. Tenet backed him all the way.

[AlinPA]

15. Agree. He was told what to say by Cheney, Rove Inc. (n/t)

[Barkley]

35. Callin' Powell a Liar

"The person responsible for analyzing the Iraqi
weapons threat for Colin Powell says the Secretary
of State misinformed Americans during his speech
at the U.N. last winter."

- CBS News



Ex-Aide: Powell Misled Americans
Greg Thielmann tells Correspondent Scott Pelley that at the time of Powell’s speech, Iraq didn’t pose an imminent threat to anyone – not even its own neighbors. “…I think my conclusion now is that it’s probably one of the low points in his long distinguished service to the nation,” says Thielmann.

Pelley’s report will be broadcast on 60 Minutes II, Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Thielmann also tells Pelley that he believes the decision to go to war was made first and then the intelligence was interpreted to fit that conclusion. “…The main problem was that the senior administration officials have what I call faith-based intelligence,” says Thielmann.
“They knew what they wanted the intelligence to show. They were really blind and deaf to any kind of countervailing information the intelligence community would produce. I would assign some blame to the intelligence community and most of the blame to the senior administration officials.”

Steve Allinson and a dozen other U.N. inspectors in Iraq also watched Powell’s speech. “Various people would laugh at various times because the information he was presenting was just, you know, didn't mean anything -- had no meaning,” says Allinson.

Pelley asks, “When the Secretary finished the speech, you and the other inspectors turned to each other and said what?” Allinson responds, “’They have nothing.’”

Allinson gives Pelley several examples of why he believes Iraq didn’t have weapons of mass destruction. One time, he was sent to find decontamination vehicles that turned out to be fire trucks. Another time, a satellite spotted what they thought were trucks used for biological weapons.

“We were told we were going to the site to look for refrigerated trucks specifically linked to biological agents,” Allinson tells Pelley. “…We found seven or eight , I think, in total, and they had cobwebs in them. Some samples were taken and nothing was found.”

[NeoConsSuck]

12. Just Die, YOU PIG! Just Die!!

[AlinPA]

13. He lied at the UN. Now he blames the CIA. Just as bad as

his bosses - Rove and Cheney.

[Whoa_Nelly]

25. Powell=Liar, Liar, Pants on fire!

Anyone sending these lies to Al Franken for his show?

[ElsewheresDaughter]

16. blip...okay now back to the real news MICHEAL JACKSON ...KOBE

[JohnOneillsMemory]

17. Building up the 'the CIA may have erred' cover for Rice, Bush, Cheney.

Powell prechews the humble pie for the media.

That's his job. Lucky him. Asshole.

With all the outrage over the 'barbaric' mutilation of 4 American corpses, I don't hear any media comparing it to the 10,000-50,000 Iraqi corpses from the illegal invasion.

[warrior1]

18. How many, powell.

How many ruin ruin live's because of your lies.

[wildmanj]

20. powell

when colon (uncle tom) powell one day looks st. peter in the eye he will forever be condemned to hell for all time LICKING A BUSH

[BigBigBear]

21. Let's play

what items from Powell's speech regarding WMD actually turned out to be correct?

Any?

[kskiska]

22. They love that word "flawed"

as if, like a diamond, if it weren't for that tiny little thing, it would be absolutely perfect.

[otohara]

23. and "some", which really means "all"

since it was all bullshit

[underpants]

24. radfringe I sorta step on this post with my thread on the second story

Sorry I really didn't see it and yes I did look.

The answer to the question "Did they die in vain?" is now more clearly YES!!!!!!!

What a shame.

[Ravy]

27. He says this now????

That Powell certainly is a quick one, isn't he?

[swag]

29. I do like that this, rather than the jobs report, is the headline

story on both cnn.com and msnbc.com .

[Whoa_Nelly]

30. Send Powell's lies to Al Franken

Through moveon.org he has requested people to share the current administration lies so these can be exposed on air.

Email address:
[e-mail]

http://www.airamericaradio.com/www/pub/resContactUs.htm

[lumpy]

31. Powell playing the scapegoat.

What a farce. The presentation of Iraq's so-called WMDs was a poorly contrived bit of showmanship that failed to convince anyone watching it, excepting the blind, evil and ignorant, that it was the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Powell shows his own incompetence by not following his conscience. As head of one of the most important offices in foreign affairs he is culpable in helping to cause one of the most egrarious onslaughts in American history. Why in the name of God would this administration take the words of unknown sources over the word of the UN inspectors and other experts who were close to the situation? I think I know why. The lust for power. The fact that members of the Bush administration, Donald Rumsfeld, Cheney, Powell and their fellow warhawks declared that an invasion of Iraq was urgently needed to prevent an attack on the US is felonous. They knew it was a web of lies just as so much of the world knew it was a pack of lies. The Bush administration is to be condemned for the ruination of the tenets of American justice and Constitutional guidelines let alone International concepts of foreign intervention and warfare.

[daleo]

33. Powell is a liar

But even if this was true it would show a stunning lack of diligence on his part. But it is not true, and he is a liar. His lies contributed to tens of thousands of deaths.

[Disturbed]

34. The Disgrace of General Colin Powell

The Disgrace of General Colin Powell


"January 4, 1998

When it comes to projecting potential Presidential candidates for the Year 2000, no name is mentioned with more awe and reverence than that of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell. He seems to have an impeccable war record, having served honorably in Viet Nam. He is a black man who rose through the ranks to the highest position in the military. He bears the glow of military victory (the preposterously one-sided Gulf War). The media-- especially Time Magazine--write fawning, adoring pieces about him. If he does run, it will likely be as a Republican, and the Republicans expect that he will garner the largest percentage of black votes in the history of the party.General Colin Powell is a coward and a moral disgrace.

Firstly, let's please toss out the Gulf War. Iraq is a tiny little country with a population of about 14 million (20% of which are rebellious Kurds) in a remote part of the world that happens to have a lot of oil. You heard me right: Iraq has--count them--about 14 million people. The United States, at 260 million, is about 18 times as large. So we have a 800 pound gorilla taking on a 45 pound weakling (right now, the 45 pound weakling appears to be holding his own). Time Magazine tries to make you think that Iraq is huge and powerful by using distorted maps that show the country almost encompassing the globe.

Saddam Hussein is a petty, tin-pot dictator who can't even count on the unabridged support of his own armies. The U.S. victory over Iraq was a masterful exercise in public relations. Militarily, it was the most one-sided battle in modern history: more than 100,000 Iraqi soldiers died compared to about 50 Americans. I am not exaggerating. This was not a "war"-- a war has to have at least one or two battles. Had Schwartzkopf, Powell and company lost, it would have been the most ridiculously unbelievable result in the history of the world. Even Goliath was only three times the size of David. So don't tell me that Powell was courageous or extraordinarily clever or "ingenious"--- please. All he had to do was tell his men to point their nose cones or turrets at Baghdad and count out the medals afterwards (more than one per combatant). One look at the $50 billion in hardware bearing down on them and the Iraqi's fled. Yet, with overwhelming military, political, and economic superiority the U.S. didn't even succeed in removing Hussein from power. Nor did they "restore" democracy to Kuwait (the same fat cats rule as before). Considering subsequent events, this was a colossal failure. It was a failure of will, a failure of intelligence, and a failure of diplomacy. Powell deserves credit for looking very nice in his uniform.

Then there was Bosnia.

I can't, in this space, give you a detailed history of the Bosnian conflict (check the Globe & Mail, or the New York Times Review of Books for some excellent summaries), but this is essentially what happened: Bosnia and Serbia were the two largest components of the former Federation of Yugoslavia. They became separate nations when Yugoslavia disintegrated in the late 1980's. Bosnia, comprised mostly of Muslims, but with a substantial population of ethnic Serbs, declared itself independent in April 1992, and was quickly recognized by the U.S. and other Western powers. War broke out and in the first six months, Serbia-- please don't call it a "Christian" nation--, with the aid of a rebel force comprised of Bosnian Serbs, and with overwhelming military superiority, seized 3/4 of Bosnia's territory. Within those same six months, at least 20,000 Bosnian Muslims--men, women, children--were systematically exterminated. This was quickly termed "ethnic cleansing" by the Serbs themselves. Their intent was not only to conquer the territories of Bosnia, but to make it impossible for Bosnians to repopulate the area afterwards. The correct term was genocide. It was only the beginning.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[Malva Zebrina]

38. thanks for all of that

but really, what the hell does he care?

He obviously does not give a shit.

He has no concept at all as to the meaning of truth. He is merely pursuing a policy of personal survival. He is NOT an honorable man and that much is certain.

He will go on to make more millions of dollars by writing a book, and by being employed on the lecture circuit where people will actually pay money to listen to this creep and this treasonous slime of a wannabee very important first black man to make a dent .

Well he sure did make a significant and large dent, that is for sure.


The last I remember of Powell is seeing him on CSpan before the Budget
Committe, still, incredibly, defending Bush by saying , with a look of contempt on his face, that Bush has a lot of support in the world for his policies. Incredible! He loves to ingratiate himself eh? Bush has humiliated him and he goes back for more.

I suggest that Powell just leave quietly and seek psychological help.

On the other hand--why should he care? He will be making a lot of money after he leaves by writing a book or two and doing the lecture circuit. The system is broken here.

And that he has seen to suddenly confess to this--makes me wonder exactly what it is that is coming down. It seems as if he is already covering his ass. Is there more to come that would indict Powell?

[Moderator]

41. Disturbed

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
news source.

Thank you.


DU Moderator

[goforit]

36. And how many people died on your watch....Colin Powell????

Thank you but no thank you!!!

You Loose....

You're the weakest link....

Go home!!!!

[Rex]

40. Powell = traitor

nt