I wonder where Loftus got that designation? I thought he was a professional broadcaster, though I'll admit he's a sharp guy with some impressive connections.
I'd just can't see where many of his theories have panned out over the years.
Remarks to the United Nations Security Council
Secretary Colin L. Powell
New York City
February 5, 2003
SECRETARY POWELL: Let me begin by playing a tape for you. What you’re about to hear is a conversation that my government monitored. It takes place on November 26th of last year [2002], on the day before United Nations teams resumed inspections in Iraq. The conversation involves two senior officers, a colonel and a brigadier general from Iraq's elite military unit, the Republican Guard.
[The tape is played.]
SECRETARY POWELL: Let me pause and review some of the key elements of this conversation that you just heard between these two officers.
First, they acknowledge that our colleague, Mohammed ElBaradei is coming, and they know what he's coming for, and they know he's coming the next day. He's coming to look for things that are prohibited. He is expecting these gentlemen to cooperate with him and not hide things.
But they're worried. [Powell reiterates Iraqi officers’ conversation:] We have this modified vehicle. What do we say if one of them sees it?
[Powell to the Security Council:] What is their concern? Their concern is that it's something they should not have, something that should not be seen.
The general was incredulous: [Powell quoting the Iraqis:] "You didn't get it modified. You don't have one of those, do you?"
"I have one."
"Which? From where?"
"From the workshop. From the Al-Kindi Company."
"What?"
"From Al-Kindi." [A company known to have been involved in prohibited weapons systems activity.]
"I'll come to see you in the morning. I'm worried you all have something left."
"We evacuated everything. We don't have anything left."
[Powell to the Security Council:] Note what he says: "We evacuated everything." [Powell, for emphasis:] We didn't destroy it. We didn't line it up for inspection. We didn't turn it into the inspectors. We evacuated it to make sure it was not around when the inspectors showed up. "I will come to you tomorrow."
On January 20th, four days later, Iraq promised the inspectors it would search for more. You will now hear an officer from Republican Guard headquarters issuing an instruction to an officer in the field. Their conversation took place just last week, on January 30 [2003].
[The tape is played.]
SECRETARY POWELL: Let me pause again and review the elements of this message. [Powell quoting the Iraqis:]
"They are inspecting the ammunition you have, yes?"
"Yes. For the possibility there are forbidden ammo."
"For the possibility there is, by chance, forbidden ammo?"
"Yes.
"And we sent you a message yesterday to clean out all the areas, the scrap areas, the abandoned areas. Make sure there is nothing there.”
[Powell to the Security Council:] Remember the first message: evacuate it. This is all part of a system of hiding things and moving things out of the way and making sure they have left nothing behind.
You go a little further into this message and you see the specific instructions from headquarters:
[Powell quoting the Iraqis:] "After you have carried out what is contained in this message, destroy the message because I don't want anyone to see this message."
"Okay."