NEWS: The Iraqi Intelligence Failure

A startling expose in this week's Newsweek details a long and horrifying road of massive failures in US intelligence on Iraq. Because of the US reliance on high-tech low-touch intelligence gathering methods, no one was aware of a corrupt regime crumbling at the core, seemingly about to collapse all on its own. Newsweek (Msnbc.msn.com) Once U.N. inspectors left Iraq, Saddam's malevolent history and intentions took on even greater significance, because the CIA was suddenly cut off from a critical source of information. (Kay calls the data produced by UNSCOM inspectors the CIA's "crack cocaine.") In February 2000, Tenet told Congress that the United States had no direct evidence that Iraq had reconstituted its WMD programs, "although given its past behavior this type of activity must be regarded as likely." Iraq had begun to rebuild parts of its chemical infrastructure "for industrial and commercial use," he said, and had also "attempted to purchase numerous dual use items." This is an excellent expose from Newsweek with a solid timeline of detail that everyone should read. As you go through this long article (well worth the news stand purchase price of your own copy of Newsweek) you'll find dozens of points previously discussed on AboveTopSecret.com. [Edited on 6-2-2004 by SkepticOverlord]

All-in-all, a good read on the developing of foreign policy issues and how intel decisions are often based on "likelyhood". Intel is like a huge game of Russian Roulette.
Great to see this being brought in such detail.
Further amazing that no one has commented on this in relation to how it may play into the ATSNN article posted yesterday......
" CIA Director, "We never claimed Iraq was an imminent threat."
www.abovetopsecret.com...


Must be because its Friday....


regards
seekerof