"And regarding the aluminum tubes, there was disagreement in the intelligence community on what those tubes were for, but the administration didn't say that."
Most people in the intelligence community believed their likely use was for nukes. The President never stated emphatically by word or inference that was there purpose.
As far as the Ari Fleischer comment I can neither confirm nor refute that it happened. If he did indeed say that then he obviously misspoke because that most certainly was NOT the administrations position. The President was quite clear in pointing out that Iraq was not presently an imminent threat and he did not want to wait to act untill they were. I don't know how he could have made that any clearer.
Regarding Ari Fleisher: it happened 5/7/03. You can google it if you'd like. Also, the administration never, as far as I know, specifically said Iraq was NOT an imminent threat, but rather refused to use that language, prefering instead synonymous phrases like "urgent threat." We have moved into the realm of a distinction without a moral difference. Anyway, Ari never retracted the comment.
Regarding the aluminum tubes: Condi Rice told CNN that the tubes were "only suited" for centrifuge. That's not true. And yes, there was vigorous disagreement in the intelligence community, with dissent from the State Department (ugh) and DOE. Either way, the phrase "only suited" was false. That was 9/8/02.
Again, just in case anyone picks up this line of debate late, I am NOT saying these facts made the war wrong. They didn't. They just reflect the fact that administrations of all parties fib where they deem fit. That's just the way it is.
The Fleisher comment I gave you was 5/7/03, which I just realized was after the invasion, and thus less relevant. Here are some uses of the phrase "imminent threat" from before the invasion:
Scott McClellan, 2/10/03, saying "This is about imminent threat."
Dan Bartlett, 1/26/03, saying "Of course he is" when asked if Saddam was an imminent threat.
To have Dan Bartlett, Scott McClellan, and Ari Fleisher -- all professional communicators -- make that same "mistake" suggests it was an idea the administration was dancing around and trying to imply for a long time.