White House balks at releasing prewar summary on Iraq WMD

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14449656.htm

WASHINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) - The White House has refused to release a prewar intelligence summary compiled for President George W. Bush on Iraq's banned weapons that Democrats said on Wednesday had given him none of the dissenting views included in more comprehensive intelligence reports.

Senate staffers were allowed to review the one-page presidential summary of the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate on Iraqi weapons programs, but Democrats said the document should be declassified and publicly released.

The White House responded with a complaint that some Democrats were now playing politics with the issue even though the document had been made available as part of the Senate intelligence panel's review.

However, Democrats said staff notes show the summary prepared for the president made no mention of the dissent within the government over Iraq's illicit weapons capabilities as was detailed in full report.

more

[HawkerHurricane]

1. Of course they're 'balking'

If they let the truth out, they'll have to admit that it wasn't the CIA's fault, but their own.

[gratuitous]

2. And all CNN can cover is a Democratic rally

Gee, which do you suppose is more important? Whoopi Goldberg's comments at a fundraiser, or the one page summary on which Stupidhead allegedly based his decision to go to war, costing the Treasury billions of dollars and humanity thousands of lives?

Gee, that's a real dome-scratcher of a news call there.

[lovedems]

3. No friggin' doubt! eom