Posted on 04/10/2006 4:37:42 PM PDT by kellynla
In the late 1980s, the Iraqi representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency—Iraq's senior public envoy for nuclear matters, in effect—was a man named Wissam al-Zahawie. After the Kuwait war in 1991, when Rolf Ekeus arrived in Baghdad to begin the inspection and disarmament work of UNSCOM, he was greeted by Zahawie, who told him in a bitter manner that "now that you have come to take away our assets," the two men could no longer be friends. (They had known each other in earlier incarnations at the United Nations in New York.)
At a later 1995 U.N. special session on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Zahawie was the Iraqi delegate and spoke heatedly about the urgent need to counterbalance Israel's nuclear capacity. At the time, most democratic countries did not have full diplomatic relations with Saddam's regime, and there were few fully accredited Iraqi ambassadors overseas, Iraq's interests often being represented by the genocidal Islamist government of Sudan (incidentally, yet another example of collusion between "secular" Baathists and the fundamentalists who were sheltering Osama Bin Laden). There was one exception—an Iraqi "window" into the world of open diplomacy—namely the mutual recognition between the Baathist regime and the Vatican. To this very important and sensitive post in Rome, Zahawie was appointed in 1997, holding the job of Saddam's ambassador to the Holy See until 2000. Those who knew him at that time remember a man much given to anti-Jewish tirades, with a standing ticket for Wagner performances at Bayreuth. (Actually, as a fan of Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung in particular, I find I can live with this. Hitler secretly preferred sickly kitsch like Franz Lehar.)
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Who knew?
"Who knew?"
Not Joe Wilson.
I am utterly sick and tired of this childish crap about how Bush lied us into war. The only liars I see are some Democrats, some members of the news media, and their friends on the Left. And their lying is nothing but totally politically motivated.
I forgot about him. And The New York Times and The Washington Post and Reuters and the rest of the lame stream media and Conyers and...
Yeah, he knew as well, but politics dictated that he should lie.
Yep, it's purely political. The Dems decided to not miss a beat and start working toward the next election the second Bush took office.
Stupid Question: Is it possible that the CIA in their lust to get Bush, tried to pull a Rather? That is, they put out obviously fake docs in the hope that the Bush Admin would take the bait, then expose them as fakes?
Joeblow Wilson was looking for yellow cake - literally - the dumba**.
Yes.
Actually, the French did, and CIA and the Wilsons were their witting accomplices. Thats why some people are starting to call it a coup attempt.
I am getting sick and tired of all this nuanced analysis, traceability, politico/pundit drivel.
The falthy bistards attacked the United States and killed 3,000 of us on September 11. That was not the first time.
Kill 'em all...then fire for effect.
who knows...
but anyone who thinks removing removing Saddam Hussein was a mistake is dumber than dirt...
we reeeeely should have done the deed and finished the job in 1991!
I agree with Gen. Patton "I hate paying for the same real estate twice."
Just wanted to note that it was the State Department who sent the obvious fakes to the IAEA. The CIA had already ruled them fakes months earlier but in a comedy of errors (or deliberate errors), State sent to them the IAEA.
I've always been curious as to how the forged docs eventually found there way to the IAEA. Maybe someday someone will be able to draw a diagram.
"Who knew?"
"Not Joe Wilson."
Really? He went to Niger in 1999 also. Also at the recommedation of his wife. That part was mostly redacted in the SI Report.
planted by the french as a poison pill to discredit what was otherwise a true story - French interests served as the brokers between iraq and niger, and wanted to cover their tracks.
the white house gave up too soon on making this case, and exposing this.
Senate Intelligence Committee report on Iraqi intelligence - Chapter 7 Niger.
Bump.
The former ambassador had traveled previously to Niger on the CIA's behalf [redacted]. The former ambassador was selected for the 1999 trip after his wife mentioned to her supervisors that her husband was planning a business trip to Niger in the near future and might be willing to use his contacts in the region [redacted]. Because the former ambassador did not uncover any information about [redacted] during his visit to Niger, CPD did not distribute an intelligence report on the visit.
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