French secret service 'kept CIA in the dark over Iraq and uranium'

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 07/14/03 | Michael Smith

[Pokey78]

The French secret service is believed to have refused to allow MI6 to give the Americans "credible" intelligence showing that Iraq was trying to buy uranium ore from Niger, US intelligence sources said yesterday.

MI6 had more than one "different and credible" piece of intelligence to show that Iraq was attempting to buy the ore, known as yellowcake, British officials insisted. But it was given to them by at least one and possibly two intelligence services and, under the rules governing cooperation, it could not be shared with anyone else without the originator's permission.

US intelligence sources believe that the most likely source of the MI6 intelligence was the French secret service, the DGSE. Niger is a former French colony and its uranium mines are run by a French company that comes under the control of the French Atomic Energy Commission.

A further factor in the refusal to hand over the information might have been concern that the US administration's willingness to publicise intelligence might lead to sources being inadvertently disclosed.

US sources also point out that the French government was vehemently opposed to the war with Iraq and so suggest that it would have been instinctively against the idea of passing on the intelligence.

British sources yesterday dismissed suggestions of a row between MI6 and the CIA on the issue. However, they admitted being surprised that George Tenet, the CIA director, had apologised to President George W Bush for allowing him to cite the British government and its claim that Saddam had sought to acquire uranium from Africa in his State of the Union speech last October.

The apology follows the International Atomic Energy Authority's dismissal of documents given to it by the CIA, which purported to prove the link, as fakes.

Those documents have been widely identified with last September's British dossier on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, which said Saddam Hussein was trying to buy uranium ore from an unnamed country in Africa.

British officials admitted that the country was Niger but insisted that the intelligence behind it was genuine and had nothing to do with the fake documents. It was convincing and they were sticking with it, the officials said.

They dismissed a report from a former US diplomat who was sent to Niger to investigate the claims and rejected them. "He seems to have asked a few people if it was true and when they said 'no' he accepted it all," one official said. "We see no reason at all to change our assessment."

The fake documents were not behind that assessment and were not seen by MI6 until after they were denounced by the IAEA. If MI6 had seen them earlier, it would have immediately advised the Americans that they were fakes.

There had been a number of reports in America in particular suggesting that the fake documents - which came from another intelligence source - were passed on via MI6, the officials said. But this was not true.

"What they can't accuse MI6 of doing is passing anything on this to the CIA because it didn't have the fake documents and it was not allowed to pass on the intelligence it did have to anyone else."

[Jolly Rodgers]

You provide the perfect example of how corrupt and fascist the Republicans have become. Enjoy your short lived neo-con victory while it lasts -- because its going to come crashing down in a few years. History will not be kind to the extreme ignorance and violence exhibited by the current aberration.

[browardchad]

BUMP!

[mware]

As I recall Cap Weinberger in a FOX SUNDAY interview, was very skeptical of the validity of Wilson's claim. He also said that it was not the Vice President who requested this investigation on the uranium.

Now we hear that it was someone in the mid-level of CIA who asked Wilson to check out the information.

It sounds to me there are way to many Clinton left overs in the CIA who are undercutting this administration.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Excellent point, it should not be forgotten that Iraq had obtained over 13 tons of yellowcake included in the 31 tons of weapons grade uranium it obtained in the 80s. This quibbling over current "intent to procure" is essentially irrelevent.

[cwb]

"It sounds to me there are way to many Clinton left overs in the CIA who are undercutting this administration."

I agree completely. One only has to look at the very public resignation of the Clinton left-over who resigned when he learned about the looting of the Baghdad museum. Did this fool even stick around to wait for the facts. No! He wanted to make a political statement and embarass the President. This from a Party, were we didn't see one resignation after CLinton not only lied to them...but used them to lie for him.

From the "unnamed" leaks in the State Department to the Pentagon, to this Wilson charade, the Democrats are pulling out all stops to destroy Bush. Bush should've did what Clinton did when he took over...fired everybody. And that was another story the media ignored as Clinton dismissed all 93 US Attorney's (The DA Massacre) to set up his wall of protection within the Justice Department. Who can forget Travelgate? This administration is still swimming with Clintonites.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Its been the same since 1792.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Your calculations are incorrect but your point that Iraq procured tons of weapons grade material is absolutely correct.

[Ciexyz]

Waiting for more info to come out....

[justshutupandtakeit]

Your imaginary "great republic" has never been greater. Nostalgic fantasies don't qualify as political or historic realities.

Harkening back to a "Golden Age" which never existed doesn't help understand anything.

[OWK]

Your imaginary "great republic" has never been greater.

Of course.

We don't need no stinkin Constitution.

Rights be damned.

Free stuff for everybody.

Leviathan rules.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Typical hyperbolic hysteria indicating little understanding of the constitution nor political science. Rave on.

[OWK]

Typical hyperbolic hysteria indicating little understanding of the constitution nor political science. Rave on.

Yes of course. Far be it from me to suggest that the Constitution requires that wars be declared by congress... or that it does not authorize government to steal one man's property to give to another.

[Jolly Rodgers]

You use "political science" as a euphemism for the application of initiated violence as a means of getting your way. It's nothing to be proud of, or to aspire to. In fact, it is highly immoral. But, who needs morality when you can just stick a gun in somebody's face, eh?

[DoorGunner]

"Ur" correct. It is ONLY 315 tons. Those sneaky little decimal points are elusive at that hour.

Thanks for the heads up!

:-)

DG

[justshutupandtakeit]

No, I use the word as derived from its original meaning -the science of governing the city (polis)- as applied to a society. Law results from applying this science. Our constitution was created by men who revered the law and who had absorbed the wisdom of the ancients in this field.

[justshutupandtakeit]

You overestimated by a factor of 10 while I have been posting an underestimate by a factor of 10 for a month.

Why isn't this a huge story in the RATmedia? Gee, I just wonder...

[lawgirl]

The French are NOT our friends and I wish we would change our policy to reflect that truth.

[justshutupandtakeit]

The constitution does not provide a form for a declaration of war and what the current Congress provided is certainly sufficient.

Taxation is not "stealing" and none of the founders thought so.

Try again.

[OWK]

The French are NOT our friends and I wish we would change our policy to reflect that truth.

They've already renamed them "Freedom Fries".

That wasn't enough?

[OWK]

Translation:

It really doesn't matter what the hell anyone raises as an objection, because I can and will rationalize just about anything.