On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 11:05:58 -0700, "jps" wrote:

"JohnH" wrote in message
.. .
Bush stated: "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein
recently
sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." This statement was
a true
statement. The fact that the British government had information proved to
be
inaccurate does not make Bush's statement a lie. The statement provided
erroneous information and may have led to erroneous expectations, but the
statement was not a lie.

Dick Cheney sent Joseph Wilson to Niger in 2002 to confirm the
"intelligence." Joseph Wilson returned with the firm understanding the
claims were unfounded and unsupportable.

As will come out in the news in the next few days, Cheney was instrumental
in negotiating the language into the SOTU speech in order to build a case
for war with Iraq.

Did the President know he was being deceived? Did Dick Cheney fail to brief
the President on the fraudulent nature of the intelligence? You tell me.

This misdirection by the CIA that they weren't given the information may
just have been the result of Cheney withholding it for his own purposes.
Ole Dicky Boy is in a lot of trouble and his boss is going to take a big
hit. I expect GW will claim ignorance and, you know what? The country will
believe him.

jps

Go read the article. "When the Niger claim first arose, the CIA sent a retired
diplomat to Africa to investigate in February 2002. The diplomat, Joseph Wilson,
reported finding no credible evidence that Iraq was seeking uranium from Niger."

One could say that an 'inability to find' is somewhat different from a 'firm
understanding'. Of course, twisting words is right up y'all's alley!!!

John
On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD