A declassified version of a Defense Intelligence Agency report was obtained by CNN today. The report was completed last September -- about the time the administration was ratcheting up the rhetoric on the whole Iraqi threat to our national security.

The report makes it clear that there are serious doubts about Iraq's capability to manufacture any kind of serious threat to the world, and casts a lot of shadows around whether or not there were any active programs in place.

The DIA would be the primary source of intelligence information for the Pentagon, and served as one of the primary sources of intelligence for the WH in the period leading up to the invasion of Iraq.

and if they was not clear enough:

The report does offer heavily qualified statements about the possibility that Iraq may possess chemical or biological weapons, etc. It reads (from the limited info provided in the attached report) like the DIA was saying -- "there aren't any weapons, but we know that is not what you want to hear, so we will say there very well could be, even though we do not know of any". The convoluted logic that has become the hallmark of this administration.

The larger point is that we were told over and over that there was NO doubt and that intelligence sources knew exactly what they were and where they were starting last summer. Clearly not true statements.

DIA doubtful early on about WMD threat

Part of the same story quotes the ubiqutous "unnamed adminstration source" as insisting the WMD will be found and the President will be vindicated - you mean the two empty trailers have not vindicated him? The White House needs to get "on message" fast.

As I write (9:15 p.m. EDST), the debate in Parliament is playing on C-Span in DC, 90.1 MHz. It's on tape of course. Quite heated.

I'm sensing Wag The Dog here.

You know, I guess history is doomed to repeat itself. Bush I, Iraq war, hero, bad economy, out of office. Bush II, Iraq war, bad economy, out of office. Guys, sit back, if anything makes the religious more naseus than us, it's their stock account being decimated.

Aubie, I agree with you that what we've witnessed is "wag the dog" (especially since we've yet to get a clear account of the pre-9/11 intelligence failures and what W. knew and refused to act on), but I'm not so sure about your last comment; I think they'd support W. even with a screwed up economy because he's giving them so much else, especially all the moves to destroy the wall between churches and the state. They can now use federal funds to construct their houses of worship; they can discriminate against homosexuals or *suspected* homosexuals in hiring and contracts; they can proselytize using federal dollars and turn "treatment" programs into conversion programs; and they are getting tax dollars though they pay zilcho. So the Christian Right Wingers would probably stay with W. UNLESS he's too kind to queers or pro-choice folks (very unlikely) or to other non-Christians, but that's also unlikely since Muslims especially are demonized right now and the Jewish state of Israel fits into that "Rapture" end-of-the-world scenario.

I think we know some of what was known, The outgoing Clinton admin. gave a power point presentation about why Osama was going to be the biggest concern facing the US. They dismissed it, in fact Ashcroft cut the counter terrorism budget.
Ms Rice said afterwards no one thought they would use planes as missles... again, a lie as this was a discussion point, as a plot to do so in France had been uncovered. WMD? the us first provided this to Iraq, when they were fighting Iran- guess which party head the white house? here is a clue- the same one that provided arms to people fighting the soviets, people like Osama. Each of the " threats" we are now facing were of our own making.

Oh I guess I was jumping the gun...I quote Mr Rumsfeld" We havent found Sadam, and no one is questioning if he existed" So that means that even tho we have no proof of WMD, they must exist?
I guess they are with osama