Posted on 03/26/2006 9:00:31 AM PST by GodGunsGuts
Rice: U.S. to Query Russia on Iraq Intel
By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL, Associated Press Writer
The Bush administration will ask Russia about a report that Moscow turned over information on American troop movements and other military plans to Saddam Hussein during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday.
"Any implication that there were those from a foreign government who may have been passing information to the Iraqis prior to the invasion would be, of course, very worrying," Rice said on CNN's "Late Edition."
"I would think the Russians would want to take that very seriously as well," she said.
Rice declined to speculate on whether Russia's actions, as detailed in a Pentagon report based on captured Iraqi documents, resulted in casualties among U.S. troops or what Russian President Vladimir Putin knew about any possible Russian involvement.
"We will certainly raise it with the Russian government. We want to take a real hard look at the documents and then raise it with the Russian government," Rice said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service has dismissed the allegation that Moscow provided information to Saddam, whose government was toppled in the invasion.
The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee said "anything is possible in the area of intelligence." Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan said if the report proved true, "it would be obviously plenty discouraging as well as disgusting" and the U.S. should find ways to let the Russians know "that kind of conduct is not going to be acceptable to us."
A Pentagon report released last week said that two captured Iraqi documents indicate that Russia obtained information from sources "inside the American Central Command" in Qatar. Russia passed battlefield intelligence to Saddam through the former Russian ambassador in Baghdad, Vladimir Titorenko, according to the Pentagon report.
"I will tell you that we take very seriously any suggestion that a foreign government may have passed information to the Iraqis prior to the American invasion that might have put our troops in danger," Rice told "Fox News Sunday."
"I do think we owe it to everyone to take a hard look at the reports and to really understand what's there."
Rice, who was President Bush's national security adviser at the time of the invasion, said she knew nothing of these reports back then.
"I would not jump to the conclusion that this — if, indeed, the reports are true — that it had to be Moscow-directed," Rice said.
Calls to the Russian Foreign Minister on Sunday went unanswered. A statement posted on the ministry's Web site noted that Rice and the foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, spoke by telephone Friday about Iran and "a series of international
Any news on who leaked the intel. to the Russians from within our government?
I watched as Condi made these comments...I didn't take away the same thing as youu did.
She spoke in diplospeak....it was what she didn't say that was newsworthy...
To who you?
There is no proof that anyone from the US "leaked" the intel.
The intel which was correct (size, disposition of forces, etc) could have come from Russian satellite intel, while the intel on intentions (some right, most wrong) could have been guesswork.
What better way for a Russian wishing to ingratiate himself with Saddam (and get a good sum of money from the Oil-for-Food scandal) than to say that his guesswork came "from inside the US command".
When dealing with intel and counter-intel, NEVER take anything at face value.
The memo was released without telling the Russians it was coming out they found out we knew what they did when the public did......that should tell you how displeased the Bush Admin...really is.
To the American people. The list of Russia's anti-American actions keeps growing by the day...and, correct me if I'm wrong, we almost never hold them accountable.
Ok so what punishment would you suggest?
Fair enough. I was referring to a Fox News report that stated that the leak came from within the US governent/military.
It could have have one of any number of our allies who feed the Russians the info.
I think a public pronouncement that Russia can no longer be counted on as a "partner" in the WOT would do for starters. Such a statement would be mild in comparison to the laundry list of Russia's aid and comfort to terrorists and terrorist nations.
You're right about that..
This is one reason Condi needs to be in the next administration too. Too many people think the cold war is over and russia is no longer a player. They use this reasoning to say that Condi, a expert in russian studies looks backward toward the cold war. In fact, that war is just being fought differently, and the russians activities prove that out.
Condi, is in the right position now and well needed into the future.
Your kidding right?
Do you realize how that would complicate the WOT?
Yes, but all the "reports" cite the same source which is the Russian himself.
He was (according to this and another source) paid handsomely for his "information".
Just keep in the back of your mind that people who get paid for providing information will attempt to maximize the value of it.
IIRC, anyone with access to CNN in the run-up to the war would have heard military talking heads talking about the tactic of skipping major cities in the run to Baghdad, and that the war wouldn't start until the 4th Army was in position.
They got one right, one wrong. Just like the Russian.
What got me steamed was the part in the memo about the Russian tip of our use of the Karbala Gap...that could have really have hurt us....but Saddam being the military genius he aint ignored the tip....and lost Baghdad and will lose his head now.
Its all interconnected..
I think the Joe Wilson story is instructive here. Leaders have lots of sources of information of varying degrees of credibility.
Just by the law of averages, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE will have predicted something that actually came to pass. Doesn't mean he should have been believed prior to the event.
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