Kay Admission Fuels WMD Political Fight 29 Jan. 2004 By KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The man who led the CIA (news - web sites)'s search for banned weapons in Iraq (news - web sites) entered the politically charged debate over President Bush (news - web sites)'s decision to go to war and provided fresh ammunition for Republicans and Democrats alike.
Under questioning by Senate Democrats, David Kay acknowledged Wednesday that he found no evidence that Iraq had chemical or biological stockpiles - even small ones. He offered doubts about Bush administration claims that trailers and aluminum tubes were intended for weapons of mass destruction. He said U.N. inspections, belittled by the administration, "achieved quite a bit."
But Kay agreed with Republican senators that there is no doubt deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had ambitions to use such weapons - that in fact he had used such weapons in the past. Kay said Saddam had secret weapons development programs that violated U.N. resolutions, and that the world is much safer without his government in place.
"I have said I actually think this may be one of those cases where it was even more dangerous than we thought," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites).
Kay, a former chief U.N. nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq, resigned Friday from his position as the CIA's special adviser for the weapons search, citing a decision to reduce resources for the search.
At the hearing and in recent interviews, Kay said he found no evidence that Saddam possessed the banned weapons in recent years. Bush's public rationale for going to war was based mostly on claims that Iraq's stockpile of weapons posed a clear threat to the United States and others.
Questioned by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Kay said he believed an outside inquiry would be important to see why intelligence failed and how it could be improved.
The White House opposes such an investigation, noting the CIA is conducting its own intelligence review and the weapons hunt has not ended.
The Senate Intelligence Committee is also examining prewar intelligence. The chairman, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told Kay, "I personally take some umbrage at people who for one reason or another think we need to have an outside investigation before our inquiry is even complete."
That inquiry is nearing completion. But the committee's top Democrat, Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, said in a statement that Kay's testimony shows a need to expand that review. Rockefeller said the inquiry should examine whether the administration manipulated intelligence.
At the hearing, Kay said he does not think analysts were pressured to shape evidence to make the case for war. "I deeply think that is the wrong explanation," Kay said.
"You know, almost in a perverse way, I wish it had been undue influence because we know how to correct that," he said.
Kay described a broad intelligence failure on Iraq. "We were almost all wrong, and I certainly include myself here," he said.
He blamed a lack of human spying inside Iraq and inadequate money for U.S. intelligence agencies. He also said he believes analysts have been asked to read too much into limited data and depended too much on data provided by U.N. inspectors.
Kay said his team wrestled with the question of why Saddam did not try to save himself by proving he no longer had stockpiles of banned weapons. Kay said Saddam likely did not want to appear to be caving in to the United States and the United Nations (news - web sites). He also wanted to use the threat of chemical weapons as leverage against his domestic enemies.
Questioned by Sen. Hillary Clinton (news - web sites), D-N.Y., Kay said the fear of U.N. weapons inspectors had contributed to Iraqi decisions to stop making banned weapons. But when Clinton suggested that inspections should have been given more time, Kay said Iraqis have been more forthcoming now than under Saddam.
"I think we have learned things that no U.N. inspector would have ever learned given the terror regime of Saddam and the tremendous personal consequences that scientists had to run by speaking the truth," he said.
Kay agreed with the committee chairman, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., that because Iraq is so large, there's a "theoretical possibility" that banned weapons could still turn up somewhere. But he expressed reservations when Warner said, "Maybe we'd better not pronounce, `We're all wrong,' yet."
"I believe that the effort that has been directed to this point has been sufficiently intense that it is highly unlikely that there were large stockpiles of deployed militarized chemical and biological weapons there," he said.
Charles Nemo http://members.aol.com/ChasNemo/index.html "Nemo is the Wal-Mart of the dark side, the one-stop superstore for everything ugly, from Satanism to Nazi occultism to serial killers." ~Forbidden Internet Magazine #1 (May 2001)
>Kay Admission Fuels WMD Political Fight >29 Jan. 2004 >By KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer
>WASHINGTON - The man who led the CIA (news - web sites)'s search for banned >weapons in Iraq (news - web sites) entered the politically charged debate >over President Bush (news - web sites)'s decision to go to war and provided >fresh ammunition for Republicans and Democrats alike.
>Under questioning by Senate Democrats, David Kay acknowledged Wednesday that he >found no evidence that Iraq had chemical or biological stockpiles - even >small ones. He offered doubts about Bush administration claims that trailers >and aluminum tubes were intended for weapons of mass destruction. He said >U.N. inspections, belittled by the administration, "achieved quite a bit."
>But Kay agreed with Republican senators that there is no doubt deposed Iraqi >leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had ambitions to use such weapons - >that in fact he had used such weapons in the past. Kay said Saddam had >secret weapons development programs that violated U.N. resolutions, and that >the world is much safer without his government in place.
>"I have said I actually think this may be one of those cases where it was >even more dangerous than we thought," he told the Senate Armed Services >Committee (news - web sites).
>Kay, a former chief U.N. nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq, resigned Friday >from his position as the CIA's special adviser for the weapons search, >citing a decision to reduce resources for the search.
>At the hearing and in recent interviews, Kay said he found no evidence that >Saddam possessed the banned weapons in recent years. Bush's public rationale >for going to war was based mostly on claims that Iraq's stockpile of weapons >posed a clear threat to the United States and others.
>Questioned by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Kay said he believed an outside >inquiry would be important to see why intelligence failed and how it could >be improved.
>The White House opposes such an investigation, noting the CIA is conducting >its own intelligence review and the weapons hunt has not ended.
>The Senate Intelligence Committee is also examining prewar intelligence. The >chairman, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told Kay, "I personally take some >umbrage at people who for one reason or another think we need to have an >outside investigation before our inquiry is even complete."
>That inquiry is nearing completion. But the committee's top Democrat, Sen. >Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, said in a statement that Kay's testimony >shows a need to expand that review. Rockefeller said the inquiry should >examine whether the administration manipulated intelligence.
>At the hearing, Kay said he does not think analysts were pressured to shape >evidence to make the case for war. "I deeply think that is the wrong >explanation," Kay said.
>"You know, almost in a perverse way, I wish it had been undue influence >because we know how to correct that," he said.
>Kay described a broad intelligence failure on Iraq. "We were almost all >wrong, and I certainly include myself here," he said.
>He blamed a lack of human spying inside Iraq and inadequate money for U.S. >intelligence agencies. He also said he believes analysts have been asked to >read too much into limited data and depended too much on data provided by >U.N. inspectors.
>Kay said his team wrestled with the question of why Saddam did not try to >save himself by proving he no longer had stockpiles of banned weapons. Kay >said Saddam likely did not want to appear to be caving in to the United >States and the United Nations (news - web sites). He also wanted to use the >threat of chemical weapons as leverage against his domestic enemies.
>Questioned by Sen. Hillary Clinton (news - web sites), D-N.Y., Kay said the >fear of U.N. weapons inspectors had contributed to Iraqi decisions to stop >making banned weapons. But when Clinton suggested that inspections should >have been given more time, Kay said Iraqis have been more forthcoming now >than under Saddam.
>"I think we have learned things that no U.N. inspector would have ever >learned given the terror regime of Saddam and the tremendous personal >consequences that scientists had to run by speaking the truth," he said.
>Kay agreed with the committee chairman, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., that >because Iraq is so large, there's a "theoretical possibility" that banned >weapons could still turn up somewhere. But he expressed reservations when >Warner said, "Maybe we'd better not pronounce, `We're all wrong,' yet."
>"I believe that the effort that has been directed to this point has been >sufficiently intense that it is highly unlikely that there were large >stockpiles of deployed militarized chemical and biological weapons there," >he said.
If you actually read this article, you'll see that Kay gives a great dealof support to Bush.
Rick wrote: > Charles Nemo wrote in message > <20040129073635.11541.00001...@mb-m12.aol.com>... > >Kay Admission Fuels WMD Political Fight > >29 Jan. 2004 > >By KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer
> >WASHINGTON - The man who led the CIA (news - web sites)'s search for banned > >weapons in Iraq (news - web sites) entered the politically charged debate > >over President Bush (news - web sites)'s decision to go to war and provided > >fresh ammunition for Republicans and Democrats alike.
> >Under questioning by Senate Democrats, David Kay acknowledged Wednesday > that he > >found no evidence that Iraq had chemical or biological stockpiles - even > >small ones. He offered doubts about Bush administration claims that > trailers > >and aluminum tubes were intended for weapons of mass destruction. He said > >U.N. inspections, belittled by the administration, "achieved quite a bit."
> >But Kay agreed with Republican senators that there is no doubt deposed > Iraqi > >leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had ambitions to use such > weapons - > >that in fact he had used such weapons in the past. Kay said Saddam had > >secret weapons development programs that violated U.N. resolutions, and > that > >the world is much safer without his government in place.
> >"I have said I actually think this may be one of those cases where it was > >even more dangerous than we thought," he told the Senate Armed Services > >Committee (news - web sites).
> >Kay, a former chief U.N. nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq, resigned Friday > >from his position as the CIA's special adviser for the weapons search, > >citing a decision to reduce resources for the search.
> >At the hearing and in recent interviews, Kay said he found no evidence that > >Saddam possessed the banned weapons in recent years. Bush's public > rationale > >for going to war was based mostly on claims that Iraq's stockpile of > weapons > >posed a clear threat to the United States and others.
> >Questioned by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Kay said he believed an outside > >inquiry would be important to see why intelligence failed and how it could > >be improved.
> >The White House opposes such an investigation, noting the CIA is conducting > >its own intelligence review and the weapons hunt has not ended.
> >The Senate Intelligence Committee is also examining prewar intelligence. > The > >chairman, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told Kay, "I personally take some > >umbrage at people who for one reason or another think we need to have an > >outside investigation before our inquiry is even complete."
> >That inquiry is nearing completion. But the committee's top Democrat, Sen. > >Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, said in a statement that Kay's testimony > >shows a need to expand that review. Rockefeller said the inquiry should > >examine whether the administration manipulated intelligence.
> >At the hearing, Kay said he does not think analysts were pressured to shape > >evidence to make the case for war. "I deeply think that is the wrong > >explanation," Kay said.
> >"You know, almost in a perverse way, I wish it had been undue influence > >because we know how to correct that," he said.
> >Kay described a broad intelligence failure on Iraq. "We were almost all > >wrong, and I certainly include myself here," he said.
> >He blamed a lack of human spying inside Iraq and inadequate money for U.S. > >intelligence agencies. He also said he believes analysts have been asked to > >read too much into limited data and depended too much on data provided by > >U.N. inspectors.
> >Kay said his team wrestled with the question of why Saddam did not try to > >save himself by proving he no longer had stockpiles of banned weapons. Kay > >said Saddam likely did not want to appear to be caving in to the United > >States and the United Nations (news - web sites). He also wanted to use the > >threat of chemical weapons as leverage against his domestic enemies.
> >Questioned by Sen. Hillary Clinton (news - web sites), D-N.Y., Kay said the > >fear of U.N. weapons inspectors had contributed to Iraqi decisions to stop > >making banned weapons. But when Clinton suggested that inspections should > >have been given more time, Kay said Iraqis have been more forthcoming now > >than under Saddam.
> >"I think we have learned things that no U.N. inspector would have ever > >learned given the terror regime of Saddam and the tremendous personal > >consequences that scientists had to run by speaking the truth," he said.
> >Kay agreed with the committee chairman, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., that > >because Iraq is so large, there's a "theoretical possibility" that banned > >weapons could still turn up somewhere. But he expressed reservations when > >Warner said, "Maybe we'd better not pronounce, `We're all wrong,' yet."
> >"I believe that the effort that has been directed to this point has been > >sufficiently intense that it is highly unlikely that there were large > >stockpiles of deployed militarized chemical and biological weapons there," > >he said.
> If you actually read this article, you'll see that Kay gives a great dealof > support to Bush.
>Charles Nemo wrote in message ><20040129073635.11541.00001...@mb-m12.aol.com>... >>Kay Admission Fuels WMD Political Fight >>29 Jan. 2004 >>By KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer
>>WASHINGTON - The man who led the CIA (news - web sites)'s search for banned >>weapons in Iraq (news - web sites) entered the politically charged debate >>over President Bush (news - web sites)'s decision to go to war and provided >>fresh ammunition for Republicans and Democrats alike.
>>Under questioning by Senate Democrats, David Kay acknowledged Wednesday >that he >>found no evidence that Iraq had chemical or biological stockpiles - even >>small ones. He offered doubts about Bush administration claims that >trailers >>and aluminum tubes were intended for weapons of mass destruction. He said >>U.N. inspections, belittled by the administration, "achieved quite a bit."
>>But Kay agreed with Republican senators that there is no doubt deposed >Iraqi >>leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had ambitions to use such >weapons - >>that in fact he had used such weapons in the past. Kay said Saddam had >>secret weapons development programs that violated U.N. resolutions, and >that >>the world is much safer without his government in place.
>>"I have said I actually think this may be one of those cases where it was >>even more dangerous than we thought," he told the Senate Armed Services >>Committee (news - web sites).
>>Kay, a former chief U.N. nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq, resigned Friday >>from his position as the CIA's special adviser for the weapons search, >>citing a decision to reduce resources for the search.
>>At the hearing and in recent interviews, Kay said he found no evidence that >>Saddam possessed the banned weapons in recent years. Bush's public >rationale >>for going to war was based mostly on claims that Iraq's stockpile of >weapons >>posed a clear threat to the United States and others.
>>Questioned by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Kay said he believed an outside >>inquiry would be important to see why intelligence failed and how it could >>be improved.
>>The White House opposes such an investigation, noting the CIA is conducting >>its own intelligence review and the weapons hunt has not ended.
>>The Senate Intelligence Committee is also examining prewar intelligence. >The >>chairman, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told Kay, "I personally take some >>umbrage at people who for one reason or another think we need to have an >>outside investigation before our inquiry is even complete."
>>That inquiry is nearing completion. But the committee's top Democrat, Sen. >>Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, said in a statement that Kay's testimony >>shows a need to expand that review. Rockefeller said the inquiry should >>examine whether the administration manipulated intelligence.
>>At the hearing, Kay said he does not think analysts were pressured to shape >>evidence to make the case for war. "I deeply think that is the wrong >>explanation," Kay said.
>>"You know, almost in a perverse way, I wish it had been undue influence >>because we know how to correct that," he said.
>>Kay described a broad intelligence failure on Iraq. "We were almost all >>wrong, and I certainly include myself here," he said.
>>He blamed a lack of human spying inside Iraq and inadequate money for U.S. >>intelligence agencies. He also said he believes analysts have been asked to >>read too much into limited data and depended too much on data provided by >>U.N. inspectors.
>>Kay said his team wrestled with the question of why Saddam did not try to >>save himself by proving he no longer had stockpiles of banned weapons. Kay >>said Saddam likely did not want to appear to be caving in to the United >>States and the United Nations (news - web sites). He also wanted to use the >>threat of chemical weapons as leverage against his domestic enemies.
>>Questioned by Sen. Hillary Clinton (news - web sites), D-N.Y., Kay said the >>fear of U.N. weapons inspectors had contributed to Iraqi decisions to stop >>making banned weapons. But when Clinton suggested that inspections should >>have been given more time, Kay said Iraqis have been more forthcoming now >>than under Saddam.
>>"I think we have learned things that no U.N. inspector would have ever >>learned given the terror regime of Saddam and the tremendous personal >>consequences that scientists had to run by speaking the truth," he said.
>>Kay agreed with the committee chairman, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., that >>because Iraq is so large, there's a "theoretical possibility" that banned >>weapons could still turn up somewhere. But he expressed reservations when >>Warner said, "Maybe we'd better not pronounce, `We're all wrong,' yet."
>>"I believe that the effort that has been directed to this point has been >>sufficiently intense that it is highly unlikely that there were large >>stockpiles of deployed militarized chemical and biological weapons there," >>he said.
>If you actually read this article, you'll see that Kay gives a great dealof >support to Bush.
>- Rick
Exactly. Kay is trying to save his own ass as well as Bu$h's. Unfortunately, he can't manage either salvage effort successfully. It all comes across as disingenous tap dancing -- much like Kilbore's efforts to explain all his own lies. But it's all fun to watch.
Charles Nemo http://members.aol.com/ChasNemo/index.html "Nemo is the Wal-Mart of the dark side, the one-stop superstore for everything ugly, from Satanism to Nazi occultism to serial killers." ~Forbidden Internet Magazine #1 (May 2001)
>> Charles Nemo wrote in message >> <20040129073635.11541.00001...@mb-m12.aol.com>... >> >Kay Admission Fuels WMD Political Fight >> >29 Jan. 2004 >> >By KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer
>> >WASHINGTON - The man who led the CIA (news - web sites)'s search for >banned >> >weapons in Iraq (news - web sites) entered the politically charged debate >> >over President Bush (news - web sites)'s decision to go to war and >provided >> >fresh ammunition for Republicans and Democrats alike.
>> >Under questioning by Senate Democrats, David Kay acknowledged Wednesday >> that he >> >found no evidence that Iraq had chemical or biological stockpiles - even >> >small ones. He offered doubts about Bush administration claims that >> trailers >> >and aluminum tubes were intended for weapons of mass destruction. He said >> >U.N. inspections, belittled by the administration, "achieved quite a bit."
>> >But Kay agreed with Republican senators that there is no doubt deposed >> Iraqi >> >leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had ambitions to use such >> weapons - >> >that in fact he had used such weapons in the past. Kay said Saddam had >> >secret weapons development programs that violated U.N. resolutions, and >> that >> >the world is much safer without his government in place.
>> >"I have said I actually think this may be one of those cases where it was >> >even more dangerous than we thought," he told the Senate Armed Services >> >Committee (news - web sites).
>> >Kay, a former chief U.N. nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq, resigned >Friday >> >from his position as the CIA's special adviser for the weapons search, >> >citing a decision to reduce resources for the search.
>> >At the hearing and in recent interviews, Kay said he found no evidence >that >> >Saddam possessed the banned weapons in recent years. Bush's public >> rationale >> >for going to war was based mostly on claims that Iraq's stockpile of >> weapons >> >posed a clear threat to the United States and others.
>> >Questioned by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Kay said he believed an outside >> >inquiry would be important to see why intelligence failed and how it could >> >be improved.
>> >The White House opposes such an investigation, noting the CIA is >conducting >> >its own intelligence review and the weapons hunt has not ended.
>> >The Senate Intelligence Committee is also examining prewar intelligence. >> The >> >chairman, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told Kay, "I personally take some >> >umbrage at people who for one reason or another think we need to have an >> >outside investigation before our inquiry is even complete."
>> >That inquiry is nearing completion. But the committee's top Democrat, Sen. >> >Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, said in a statement that Kay's testimony >> >shows a need to expand that review. Rockefeller said the inquiry should >> >examine whether the administration manipulated intelligence.
>> >At the hearing, Kay said he does not think analysts were pressured to >shape >> >evidence to make the case for war. "I deeply think that is the wrong >> >explanation," Kay said.
>> >"You know, almost in a perverse way, I wish it had been undue influence >> >because we know how to correct that," he said.
>> >Kay described a broad intelligence failure on Iraq. "We were almost all >> >wrong, and I certainly include myself here," he said.
>> >He blamed a lack of human spying inside Iraq and inadequate money for U.S. >> >intelligence agencies. He also said he believes analysts have been asked >to >> >read too much into limited data and depended too much on data provided by >> >U.N. inspectors.
>> >Kay said his team wrestled with the question of why Saddam did not try to >> >save himself by proving he no longer had stockpiles of banned weapons. Kay >> >said Saddam likely did not want to appear to be caving in to the United >> >States and the United Nations (news - web sites). He also wanted to use >the >> >threat of chemical weapons as leverage against his domestic enemies.
>> >Questioned by Sen. Hillary Clinton (news - web sites), D-N.Y., Kay said >the >> >fear of U.N. weapons inspectors had contributed to Iraqi decisions to stop >> >making banned weapons. But when Clinton suggested that inspections should >> >have been given more time, Kay said Iraqis have been more forthcoming now >> >than under Saddam.
>> >"I think we have learned things that no U.N. inspector would have ever >> >learned given the terror regime of Saddam and the tremendous personal >> >consequences that scientists had to run by speaking the truth," he said.
>> >Kay agreed with the committee chairman, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., that >> >because Iraq is so large, there's a "theoretical possibility" that banned >> >weapons could still turn up somewhere. But he expressed reservations when >> >Warner said, "Maybe we'd better not pronounce, `We're all wrong,' yet."
>> >"I believe that the effort that has been directed to this point has been >> >sufficiently intense that it is highly unlikely that there were large >> >stockpiles of deployed militarized chemical and biological weapons there," >> >he said.
>> If you actually read this article, you'll see that Kay gives a great dealof >> support to Bush.
>> - Rick
>Nemo has a slight problem with reading; he can't.
Smith's exposures of your bullshit are quite legible. And you're quite the total fool.
P.S. See my previous reply to Rick regarding Kay's disingenous efforts to save Kay and Bu$h's asses.
Charles Nemo http://members.aol.com/ChasNemo/index.html "Nemo is the Wal-Mart of the dark side, the one-stop superstore for everything ugly, from Satanism to Nazi occultism to serial killers." ~Forbidden Internet Magazine #1 (May 2001)
>>Charles Nemo wrote in message >><20040129073635.11541.00001...@mb-m12.aol.com>... >>>Kay Admission Fuels WMD Political Fight >>>29 Jan. 2004 >>>By KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer
>>>WASHINGTON - The man who led the CIA (news - web sites)'s search for banned >>>weapons in Iraq (news - web sites) entered the politically charged debate >>>over President Bush (news - web sites)'s decision to go to war and provided >>>fresh ammunition for Republicans and Democrats alike.
>>>Under questioning by Senate Democrats, David Kay acknowledged Wednesday >>that he >>>found no evidence that Iraq had chemical or biological stockpiles - even >>>small ones. He offered doubts about Bush administration claims that >>trailers >>>and aluminum tubes were intended for weapons of mass destruction. He said >>>U.N. inspections, belittled by the administration, "achieved quite a bit."
>>>But Kay agreed with Republican senators that there is no doubt deposed >>Iraqi >>>leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had ambitions to use such >>weapons - >>>that in fact he had used such weapons in the past. Kay said Saddam had >>>secret weapons development programs that violated U.N. resolutions, and >>that >>>the world is much safer without his government in place.
>>>"I have said I actually think this may be one of those cases where it was >>>even more dangerous than we thought," he told the Senate Armed Services >>>Committee (news - web sites).
>>>Kay, a former chief U.N. nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq, resigned Friday >>>from his position as the CIA's special adviser for the weapons search, >>>citing a decision to reduce resources for the search.
>>>At the hearing and in recent interviews, Kay said he found no evidence that >>>Saddam possessed the banned weapons in recent years. Bush's public >>rationale >>>for going to war was based mostly on claims that Iraq's stockpile of >>weapons >>>posed a clear threat to the United States and others.
>>>Questioned by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Kay said he believed an outside >>>inquiry would be important to see why intelligence failed and how it could >>>be improved.
>>>The White House opposes such an investigation, noting the CIA is conducting >>>its own intelligence review and the weapons hunt has not ended.
>>>The Senate Intelligence Committee is also examining prewar intelligence. >>The >>>chairman, Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told Kay, "I personally take some >>>umbrage at people who for one reason or another think we need to have an >>>outside investigation before our inquiry is even complete."
>>>That inquiry is nearing completion. But the committee's top Democrat, Sen. >>>Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, said in a statement that Kay's testimony >>>shows a need to expand that review. Rockefeller said the inquiry should >>>examine whether the administration manipulated intelligence.
>>>At the hearing, Kay said he does not think analysts were pressured to shape >>>evidence to make the case for war. "I deeply think that is the wrong >>>explanation," Kay said.
>>>"You know, almost in a perverse way, I wish it had been undue influence >>>because we know how to correct that," he said.
>>>Kay described a broad intelligence failure on Iraq. "We were almost all >>>wrong, and I certainly include myself here," he said.
>>>He blamed a lack of human spying inside Iraq and inadequate money for U.S. >>>intelligence agencies. He also said he believes analysts have been asked to >>>read too much into limited data and depended too much on data provided by >>>U.N. inspectors.
>>>Kay said his team wrestled with the question of why Saddam did not try to >>>save himself by proving he no longer had stockpiles of banned weapons. Kay >>>said Saddam likely did not want to appear to be caving in to the United >>>States and the United Nations (news - web sites). He also wanted to use the >>>threat of chemical weapons as leverage against his domestic enemies.
>>>Questioned by Sen. Hillary Clinton (news - web sites), D-N.Y., Kay said the >>>fear of U.N. weapons inspectors had contributed to Iraqi decisions to stop >>>making banned weapons. But when Clinton suggested that inspections should >>>have been given more time, Kay said Iraqis have been more forthcoming now >>>than under Saddam.
>>>"I think we have learned things that no U.N. inspector would have ever >>>learned given the terror regime of Saddam and the tremendous personal >>>consequences that scientists had to run by speaking the truth," he said.
>>>Kay agreed with the committee chairman, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., that >>>because Iraq is so large, there's a "theoretical possibility" that banned >>>weapons could still turn up somewhere. But he expressed reservations when >>>Warner said, "Maybe we'd better not pronounce, `We're all wrong,' yet."
>>>"I believe that the effort that has been directed to this point has been >>>sufficiently intense that it is highly unlikely that there were large >>>stockpiles of deployed militarized chemical and biological weapons there," >>>he said.
>>If you actually read this article, you'll see that Kay gives a great dealof >>support to Bush.
>>- Rick
>Exactly. Kay is trying to save his own ass as well as Bu$h's.
You'll have to provide proof that what he is saying is not true.
>Unfortunately, >he can't manage either salvage effort successfully. It all comes across as >disingenous tap dancing -- much like Kilbore's efforts to explain all his own >lies. But it's all fun to watch.
|
