Hmmmm...actually the big one is the following info from the CIA...
The agency pointed out that Iraq already had 500 tons of uranium, portions of which came from Niger, according to the International Atomic Energy Administration (IAEA).This backs up a previous statement by Stephen Hadley, Bush's #2 National Security guy...
An unsigned CIA memo on Oct. 5 advised that "the CIA had reservations about the British reporting" on Iraq's alleged attempts in Niger, Hadley [No.2 guy on Bush's National Security team] said. A second memo, sent on Oct. 6, elaborated on the CIA's doubts, describing "some weakness in the evidence," such as the fact that Iraq already had a large stock of uranium and probably wouldn't need more, Hadley said.I saw it admitted again in another story this morning. Why the big deal about Wilson's trip, when the truth is that Saddam already had uranium?
Wilson's only written report is the one that appeared in the New York Times. And it is itself an extended falsehood on several levels.
First lie is his claim to have "investigated" the issue of uranium sales, which he and the press have repeated hundreds of times lately, yet if you read the fine print of his article he makes it clear that he did no investigating whatever. He merely asked the government of Niger if they had made any illegal sales lately, and took their word for it when they said "no". He proceeded to accuse the president of lying based on an investigation that never happened, in other words. So that is lie #1.
His second lie is his verbal sleight of hand, in which he answers a charge that the president never made. His case is that Niger denies that a deal took place; but of course Bush never said a deal took place, he said that Iraq "sought" uranium, not that they obtained it. And the fact that they "sought" uranium isn't even controversial. Their trade mission to Niger is public knowledge. It was unnecessary to travel to Niger to confirm the president's charge, since the trade mission by Zahawie was no secret.
His third lie, then, is that lie of omission, in which he failed to mention the trade mission by senior Iraqi ambassador Zahawie, well known for publicly calling for Iraq to develop nuclear arms. The president's charge does not rest on secret MI6 reports, or faked Italian documents, or French intel that they refuse to divulge, Iraq's trade mission to Niger is public information. It is not even in question. He failed to mention it because he couldn't mention it and continue to attack the president, this simple fact blows a hole in his argument that no one could miss.
His fourth lie was to claim that the mines were so well monitored by the IAEA that an illicit sale would be impossible. But the IAEA says that they are undermanned, and that they lack the legal basis to properly monitor the mines in Niger. Which means that it isn't happening, which means he lied again.
But it can't be stressed enough that there was no investigation. Wilson never followed any trucks, he didn't stake out the port in Benin, he didn't interview any drivers, he didn't audit company records, he didn't polygraph the company accountant, he didn't tap the mine company phones... He self-admittedly did none of that. He simply parroted the official story and cloaked it in a CIA wrapper, and has been hawking it ever since. It would be embarrassing if he or the press that are his enablers were capable of embarrassment.