flash back to 2003: Inspectors say US intelligence was wrong

[The Straight Story]

Wednesday 19 March 2003 20.48 EST
Article history

One of the UN weapons inspectors evacuated from Baghdad yesterday accused the US of providing the mission with wrong and misleading information about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Speaking from the hotel in Cyprus where the inspectors have regrouped since leaving Iraq on Tuesday, Jorn Siljeholm dismissed the US intelligence reports as "political" instead of factual.

"None of their hot tips were ever confirmed," he said, adding: "I don't know about a single decontamination truck that didn't turn out to be a fire engine or a water truck."

Mr Siljeholm, 48, a scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was angry at assertions made by US administration officials about the extent of the Iraqi arsenal.

"When you find nothing and repeat the hypothesis that are hiding something, it just weakens the hypothesis," he said.

...

After two days' rest and time to finish their final reports, the UN team will learn at the weekend whether the mission is to be suspended or abolished. Some hope they will be allowed back after the war to complete a final audit of President Saddam's weapons.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/mar/20/iraq.owenbowcott

[Scuba]

1. Wrong? I'd say "fabricated" would be closer. n/t

[raccoon]

2. +1000. nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. But the reports today on IRAN'S nuclear program, those are SOLID! nt.

[Scuba]

4. Gulf of Tonkin. n/t

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. It doesn't really even matter to me whether the current reports about Iran are wrong or not

What I want to know is whether Iran is an imminent threat to the national security of ourselves and/or our allies if they, indeed, have nuclear capabilities now. If they are not talking about attacking anybody or making provocative moves towards anybody, then how does having nuclear capabilities make them any different from any other country that already has nukes? I think it would be better if some countries (i.e. Pakistan, North Korea) didn't have them but there's no way realistically that we're going to be able to disarm them by force and any attempts to do so would make things even more complicated and dangerous. We'd best refrain from any military action against Iran unless they fire the first shot and, no, I don't believe that they're stupid enough to be the first ones to nuke anybody despite some of the rhetoric of their leaders.