1994 - 2002
WHIG - White House Iraq Group, PR group
INC - Iraqi National Congress
ICP - Information Collection Program (PR campaign by INC, planted 108 stories in media btw 12/01 and 5/02)
OSP - Office of Special Plans - Pentagon shop run by Feith
SISMI - Italian Intel service
Niger report - report by SISMI that Iraq may have been trying to buy 500 tons of uranium from Niger in 1999, given to US in late 2001. Report was summation and included no documents. The forged documents were given to the US in October 2002.
SAO - Senior Admin Official
SIO - Senior Intel Official
AO - Admin Official
1994 - Robert Baer (CIA working with INC on Iraq) is taken to an INC forgery shop. His escort is Ahmed Chalabi. Decent operation according to Baer. 94-95 finds Baer the victim of a forged document. The document is a letter to Chalabi written on Clinton NSC letterhead giving support to Chalabi/INC. Baer is forced to take a polygraph to prove he had no knowledge of the scam. Baer retires from CIA sometime later.
Early 2000 - A former member of SISMI, now a security consultant (SC) is contacted by a current SISMI officer (SO) that he's known for 25 years. SO tells SC that SISMI has a source in the Niger Embassy in Rome that SISMI no longer needs, SO tells SC source might be valuable to SC. SC contacts woman and agrees to pay her as a source. HOWEVER, SO does not tell SC that SISMI is still using the woman as a source. SO has set up relationship so SISMI can use woman and SC as conduit for disinformation.
Early 2001 - Francis Brooke (INC) claims Wolfowitz called and said Saddam will deposed this time.
April 2001 - Analyst at CIA's WINPAC (Weapons, Intel, Nonproliferation and Arms Control) discovers Iraq's attempt to buy aluminum tubes. He alerts CIA that they may be used for centrifuges. In June CIA seizes shipment in Jordan. WINPAC analyzes tubes and concludes they're for centrifuges, however, the DOE and INR disagree, they believe for rockets. Controversy rages btw agencies into the fall, and spills over into the preparation of the NIE.
Fall 2001 - INC sets up, or has already set up Information Collection Program - plant stories in the media. First is October 12 Wapo column "What About Iraq?"
September 2001 - 9/17 - 6 days after 9/11 Bush signs TOP SECRET direction to begin planning military options for Iraq invasion.
Late 2001 - SO brings woman packet of documents to pass on to SC. Woman does so. According to TPM the documents were the forgeries, but the only information passed to Western Intel (US, UK, France) at the time were summaries based on the forgeries. Cathy Martin, Cheney's spokesperson, said this report went to the VP's office. [also in late 2001 - Harold Rhode, Larry Franklin, and Michael Ledeen meet Manucher Ghorbanifar in Rome to discuss regime change in Iran.]
Early 2002 - Cheney gets DIA report on Niger deal and asks CIA "what they think". Intel agencies meet to discuss how to go about gathering info. Wilson is suggested, and he is sent to Niger in February. Wilson returns after 8 day trip and briefs CIA on findings. OSP is created.
Unknown 2002 - US Marine General Carlton W. Fulton reports to Richard Myers (JCS) on Niger, findings are same as Wilson's (unsure of timing of this trip). US Ambassador to Niger, Barbro Owen-Kirkpatrick reports to State Dept on Niger, findings same as Wilson's (unsure of timing of this trip).
March 2002 - early March Cheney trip to ME with a brief stop in UK first. Blair is firmly on board for the first time. 3/8 - Blair given legal advice on war. Trip is a bust according to the media. 3/12 - CIA distributes 2 reports on tubes to VP and SAO, both are based on WINPAC's assessment.
May 2002 - State Dept stops funding INC after finding $2 million out of their $4.5 million unaccounted for.
Spring 2002 - Congressional hearings on 9/11 are set to start. Daschle is pressured from Cheney and Bush to limit scope.
Summer 2002 - Francis Brooke (INC PR flak) repeatedly tried to pass info to Joby Warrick of Wapo. Warrick later says info was always shit.
June 2002 - 6/26 - The INC and ICP submit info detailing the ICP program to Appropriations sub-committee on Foreign Relation (Leahy). ICP said info given to Luti and Hannah (Special Assistant Sec National Security Office of VP), and had direct phone numbers for each.
July 2002 - Downing Street Minutes. DOE reports on Iraq's suspected uranium purchase.
August 2002 - 8/26 - Cheney says SH had "resumed his efforts to acquire nuclear weapons". WHIG is formed by Andy Card, participants include Rove, Hughes, Matalin, Libby, Rice, Hadley, Wilkinson, Calio. Weekly meetings of WHIG. Doug Feith takes OSP to Langley to brief CIA on Iraq ties to AQ. Diane Feinstein goes to Vienna and meets with IAEA who say they have no new signs Iraq revived nuclear program.
September 2002 - 9/6 - Card says you don't "introduce new products in August" an obvious reference to WHIG. 9/7 - Bush mentions nuclear threat (Blair is with him at Camp David). 9/8 - New York Times (NYT) carries front page story on tubes (headline "US says Hussein Intensifies Quest For A-Bomb Parts") - by Judith Miller (JM) Article states "hardliners" worried the "first sign of a 'smoking gun' may be a mushroom cloud". 9/8 - Powell on Fox News, Cheney on MTP, Rumsfeld on Face The Nation --- all discuss the tubes. 9/12 - Bush mentions tubes in address to UN General Assembly. 9/17 - Draft meeting on UK dossier. 9/19 - Final Draft UK dossier. 9/18 - JM has story on defector Hamza who says Iraq is now at pilot plant stage of nuclear production. 9/24 - UK dossier is released, claims Iraq is actively producing chemical weapons and can launch an attack in 45 minutes. 9/24 - Tenet briefs congress (secure) that CIA had recently received intel showing that btw 1999 and 2001 Iraq had attempted to buy 500 tons of yellow cake from Niger. Denny Haster tells Fox News that Cheney has new information, and that SH is close to nuclear bomb. 9/26 - Powell cites same intel that Tenet did to Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Bush announces he will seek IWR from congress. Democrats press for a NIE.
Fall 2002 - Pentagon begins funding INC.
October 2002 - 10/2 - NIE is prepared and given to congress, shortly thereafter a declassified version that mentions little of the debate over the tubes is released. Niger is viewed to be too "shaky" to be included as a KEY judgement. 10/7 - Bush speech in Cincinnati - CIA warned him away from mentioning Niger. 10/8 - Knight Ridder writes sharp account of rising dissent on tubes issue. 10/9 - Niger forgeries are given to US embassy and passed on to State Dept. Neither Kerry or Edwards read the NIE, both relied on the declassified version of the NIE [suspect majority of congress did same]. 10/11 - IWR passes.
November 2002 - UN inspectors return to Iraq. Gallup poll shows 59% support invasion.
December 2002 - Gallup poll shows 90% believe SH developing WMD. ABC/Wapo poll shows 81% believe Iraq a threat to US. NYT carries front page story on Iraq by Judith Miller. 12/12 - Wapo has story that AQ has obtained nerve agent from Iraq. 12/16 - Robert Dreyfuss in TAP reports that Richard Perle sponsored work of former CIA ops Reul Marc Gerecht. Gerecht maintains close ties with INC and helps funnel info to OSP. 12/19 - First public mention of Niger in a State Dept position paper. 12/27 - Iraq submits 12,200 page declaration, and US quickly criticizes it for failure to cite tubes or Niger.
INC - Iraqi National Congress
ICP - Information Collection Program (PR campaign by INC, planted 108 stories in media btw 12/01 and 5/02)
OSP - Office of Special Plans - Pentagon shop run by Feith
SISMI - Italian Intel service
Niger report - report by SISMI that Iraq may have been trying to buy 500 tons of uranium from Niger in 1999, given to US in late 2001. Report was summation and included no documents. The forged documents were given to the US in October 2002.
SAO - Senior Admin Official
SIO - Senior Intel Official
AO - Admin Official
1994 - Robert Baer (CIA working with INC on Iraq) is taken to an INC forgery shop. His escort is Ahmed Chalabi. Decent operation according to Baer. 94-95 finds Baer the victim of a forged document. The document is a letter to Chalabi written on Clinton NSC letterhead giving support to Chalabi/INC. Baer is forced to take a polygraph to prove he had no knowledge of the scam. Baer retires from CIA sometime later.
Early 2000 - A former member of SISMI, now a security consultant (SC) is contacted by a current SISMI officer (SO) that he's known for 25 years. SO tells SC that SISMI has a source in the Niger Embassy in Rome that SISMI no longer needs, SO tells SC source might be valuable to SC. SC contacts woman and agrees to pay her as a source. HOWEVER, SO does not tell SC that SISMI is still using the woman as a source. SO has set up relationship so SISMI can use woman and SC as conduit for disinformation.
Early 2001 - Francis Brooke (INC) claims Wolfowitz called and said Saddam will deposed this time.
April 2001 - Analyst at CIA's WINPAC (Weapons, Intel, Nonproliferation and Arms Control) discovers Iraq's attempt to buy aluminum tubes. He alerts CIA that they may be used for centrifuges. In June CIA seizes shipment in Jordan. WINPAC analyzes tubes and concludes they're for centrifuges, however, the DOE and INR disagree, they believe for rockets. Controversy rages btw agencies into the fall, and spills over into the preparation of the NIE.
Fall 2001 - INC sets up, or has already set up Information Collection Program - plant stories in the media. First is October 12 Wapo column "What About Iraq?"
September 2001 - 9/17 - 6 days after 9/11 Bush signs TOP SECRET direction to begin planning military options for Iraq invasion.
Late 2001 - SO brings woman packet of documents to pass on to SC. Woman does so. According to TPM the documents were the forgeries, but the only information passed to Western Intel (US, UK, France) at the time were summaries based on the forgeries. Cathy Martin, Cheney's spokesperson, said this report went to the VP's office. [also in late 2001 - Harold Rhode, Larry Franklin, and Michael Ledeen meet Manucher Ghorbanifar in Rome to discuss regime change in Iran.]
Early 2002 - Cheney gets DIA report on Niger deal and asks CIA "what they think". Intel agencies meet to discuss how to go about gathering info. Wilson is suggested, and he is sent to Niger in February. Wilson returns after 8 day trip and briefs CIA on findings. OSP is created.
Unknown 2002 - US Marine General Carlton W. Fulton reports to Richard Myers (JCS) on Niger, findings are same as Wilson's (unsure of timing of this trip). US Ambassador to Niger, Barbro Owen-Kirkpatrick reports to State Dept on Niger, findings same as Wilson's (unsure of timing of this trip).
March 2002 - early March Cheney trip to ME with a brief stop in UK first. Blair is firmly on board for the first time. 3/8 - Blair given legal advice on war. Trip is a bust according to the media. 3/12 - CIA distributes 2 reports on tubes to VP and SAO, both are based on WINPAC's assessment.
May 2002 - State Dept stops funding INC after finding $2 million out of their $4.5 million unaccounted for.
Spring 2002 - Congressional hearings on 9/11 are set to start. Daschle is pressured from Cheney and Bush to limit scope.
Summer 2002 - Francis Brooke (INC PR flak) repeatedly tried to pass info to Joby Warrick of Wapo. Warrick later says info was always shit.
June 2002 - 6/26 - The INC and ICP submit info detailing the ICP program to Appropriations sub-committee on Foreign Relation (Leahy). ICP said info given to Luti and Hannah (Special Assistant Sec National Security Office of VP), and had direct phone numbers for each.
July 2002 - Downing Street Minutes. DOE reports on Iraq's suspected uranium purchase.
August 2002 - 8/26 - Cheney says SH had "resumed his efforts to acquire nuclear weapons". WHIG is formed by Andy Card, participants include Rove, Hughes, Matalin, Libby, Rice, Hadley, Wilkinson, Calio. Weekly meetings of WHIG. Doug Feith takes OSP to Langley to brief CIA on Iraq ties to AQ. Diane Feinstein goes to Vienna and meets with IAEA who say they have no new signs Iraq revived nuclear program.
September 2002 - 9/6 - Card says you don't "introduce new products in August" an obvious reference to WHIG. 9/7 - Bush mentions nuclear threat (Blair is with him at Camp David). 9/8 - New York Times (NYT) carries front page story on tubes (headline "US says Hussein Intensifies Quest For A-Bomb Parts") - by Judith Miller (JM) Article states "hardliners" worried the "first sign of a 'smoking gun' may be a mushroom cloud". 9/8 - Powell on Fox News, Cheney on MTP, Rumsfeld on Face The Nation --- all discuss the tubes. 9/12 - Bush mentions tubes in address to UN General Assembly. 9/17 - Draft meeting on UK dossier. 9/19 - Final Draft UK dossier. 9/18 - JM has story on defector Hamza who says Iraq is now at pilot plant stage of nuclear production. 9/24 - UK dossier is released, claims Iraq is actively producing chemical weapons and can launch an attack in 45 minutes. 9/24 - Tenet briefs congress (secure) that CIA had recently received intel showing that btw 1999 and 2001 Iraq had attempted to buy 500 tons of yellow cake from Niger. Denny Haster tells Fox News that Cheney has new information, and that SH is close to nuclear bomb. 9/26 - Powell cites same intel that Tenet did to Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Bush announces he will seek IWR from congress. Democrats press for a NIE.
Fall 2002 - Pentagon begins funding INC.
October 2002 - 10/2 - NIE is prepared and given to congress, shortly thereafter a declassified version that mentions little of the debate over the tubes is released. Niger is viewed to be too "shaky" to be included as a KEY judgement. 10/7 - Bush speech in Cincinnati - CIA warned him away from mentioning Niger. 10/8 - Knight Ridder writes sharp account of rising dissent on tubes issue. 10/9 - Niger forgeries are given to US embassy and passed on to State Dept. Neither Kerry or Edwards read the NIE, both relied on the declassified version of the NIE [suspect majority of congress did same]. 10/11 - IWR passes.
November 2002 - UN inspectors return to Iraq. Gallup poll shows 59% support invasion.
December 2002 - Gallup poll shows 90% believe SH developing WMD. ABC/Wapo poll shows 81% believe Iraq a threat to US. NYT carries front page story on Iraq by Judith Miller. 12/12 - Wapo has story that AQ has obtained nerve agent from Iraq. 12/16 - Robert Dreyfuss in TAP reports that Richard Perle sponsored work of former CIA ops Reul Marc Gerecht. Gerecht maintains close ties with INC and helps funnel info to OSP. 12/19 - First public mention of Niger in a State Dept position paper. 12/27 - Iraq submits 12,200 page declaration, and US quickly criticizes it for failure to cite tubes or Niger.
posted by littlesky at 7:40 PM
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