Even More Bullshit

Let's see here. We have forged documents underlying the claim about the Iraqis trying to buy uranium ore from Niger. Then we have the nonsense about those aluminum launch tubes being evidence of "a clandestine program to make enriched uranium for nuclear bombs". Then we have our buddy "Curveball", whose information about the mobile germ labs was totally bogus. Now we have this. Jesus!! Was there any accurate information? NYTimes (11.06.05):

"A high Qaeda official in American custody was identified as a likely fabricator months before the Bush administration began to use his statements as the foundation for its claims that Iraq trained Al Qaeda members to use biological and chemical weapons, according to newly declassified portions of a Defense Intelligence Agency document. The document, an intelligence report from February 2002, said it was probable that the prisoner, Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, 'was intentionally misleading the debriefers' in making claims about Iraqi support for Al Qaeda's work with illicit weapons." Report Warned Bush Team About Intelligence Suspicions

"The document provides the earliest and strongest indication of doubts voiced by American intelligence agencies about Mr. Libi's credibility. Without mentioning him by name, President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Colin L. Powell, then secretary of state, and other administration officials repeatedly cited Mr. Libi's information as 'credible' evidence that Iraq was training Al Qaeda members in the use of explosives and illicit weapons." "Among the first and most prominent assertions was one by Mr. Bush, who said in a major speech in Cincinnati in October 2002 that 'we've learned that Iraq has trained Al Qaeda members in bomb making and poisons and gases.'" Eschaton: "Though, one thing which is left out of the New York Times account is that al-Libi apparently had some, uh, 'encouragement' for giving his bullshit information." Al-Libi ran al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan was captured there November 11, 2001. At that time, detainee interrogation was the FBI's responsibility. The FBI approach "was to read him his rights like any arrestee, one former member of the FBI team told Newsweek. 'He was basically cooperating with us.'" But then, things changed. Newsweek (06.21.05):

"The handling of al-Libi touched off a long-running battle over interrogation tactics inside the administration. FBI officials brought their plea to retain control over al-Libi's interrogation up to FBI Director Robert Mueller. The CIA station chief in Afghanistan, meanwhile, appealed to the agency's hawkish counterterrorism chief, Cofer Black. He in turn called CIA Director George Tenet, who went to the White House. Al-Libi was handed over to the CIA." A Tortured Debate - Newsweek World News - MSNBC.com

"'They duct-taped his mouth, cinched him up and sent him to Cairo' for more-fearsome Egyptian interrogations, says the ex-FBI official. 'At the airport the CIA case officer goes up to him and says, 'You're going to Cairo, you know. Before you get there I'm going to find your mother and I'm going to [fuck] her.' So we lost that fight.' (A CIA official said he had no comment.)" How did the Administration use this info? For examples, see ThinkProgress: "Beginning in February 2002 and continuing into 2004, the Bush administration repeatedly used this false evidence to justify the war against Iraq." So in the end, they got what they wanted to hear. Absolutely no basis in fact, but it was exactly what they wanted to hear. Yippee. So uhhh, George. What, exactly, did you know, and when, exactly, did you know it?