Iraq and al-Qa'ida: Interpreting a Murky Relationship

June 21, 2002

Lots of juicy, completely blacked out passages, but still some substance.

Consider, for example:

"Some analysts concur with the assessment that intelligence reporting provides 'no conclusive

evidence of cooperation on specific terrorist operations,' but believe that the available signs

support a conclusion that Iraq has had sporadic, wary contacts with al-Qa'ida since the mid-1990s,

rather than a relationship with al-Qa'ida that developed over time. These analysts would contend that

mistrust and conflicting ideologies and goals probably tempered these contacts and severely limited the

opportunities for cooperation. These analysts do not rule out that Baghdad sought and obtained a

nonaggression agreement or made limited offers of cooperation, training, or safehaven (ultimately

uncorroborated or withdrawn) in an effort to manipulate, penetrate, or otherwise keep tabs on al-Qa'ida or

selected operatives."

Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction

US memo in 2002 doubted Niger uranium sale to Iraq

"Well before President George Bush said in 2003 that Iraq was buying uranium from Niger, a

high-level state department intelligence assessment deemed the deal "unlikely" for several

reasons, The New York Times said on Wednesday.

"The document cast doubt on the alleged purchases as France controlled the uranium industry

in Niger and could block the sale. The document said Niger was avoiding actions that risked

it losing US and other foreign aid, and moving tonnes of uranium by truck across the border

would be very difficult to do and easy to detect."

Pentagon Team Told to Seek Details of Iraq-Al Qaeda Ties

October 25, 2002

" 'They are politicizing intelligence, no question about it,' said Vincent M. Cannistraro, a former CIA counterterrorism chief. 'And they are undertaking a campaign to get George Tenet (the director of central intelligence) fired because they can't get him to say what they want on Iraq.' "

Scott Ritter Addresses Iraqi Parliament

08 September 2002

"My government is making a case for war against Iraq that is built upon fear and ignorance, as opposed to the reality of truth and fact."