CIA opens report on Iraq trailers
USA Today via Global Security -- May 29, 2003
"The administration has got a serious credibility problem," said John Pike of GlobalSecurity.org, a Washington-area think tank. Pike called the CIA report credible but added, "This long after the war, for them to come up with two rusting trailers, it's pretty thin."
State Dept. Daily Press Briefing for May 28
US Department of State via Scoop -- May 28, 2003
These vans were destined for biological -- to produce biological agents and not for other purposes.
It's very important to recognize that programs that we had said existed do exist; that the kind of equipment that we had said existed does exist.
Report Does Not Replace the Need for Independent International Inspections of Weapons Trailers
INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY -- May 28
However, no biological weapons agents were found on the trailers. Instead, the government's finding is based on eliminating any possible alternative explanations for the trucks, which is a controversial methodology under any circumstances. Given the high stakes for the United States to prove the existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq, this methodology is particularly suspect.
US Confident Saddam Had Mobile WMD Lab
FOX News - May 28, 2003
CIA Report Details Iraqi Mobile Biological Weapons Labs
US Dept. of State -- May 28, 2003
A new Central Intelligence Agency report says the three mobile laboratory facilities uncovered by coalition forces in Iraq provide "the strongest evidence to date" that Iraq had a biological warfare program and made substantial efforts to hide it.
["Strongest evidence to date"? This is all you've got? Sweet Jebus! The rusty trailer up on blocks counts too?]
Iraqi Mobile Biological Warfare Agent Production Plants
CIA-DIA -- May 28, 2003
Iraqi Mobile Biological Warfare Agent Production Plants
CIA-DIA via Global Security -- May 28, 2003
seen at Global Security's
Hot Documents page
Iraqi Mobile Biological Warfare Agent Production Plants
CIA-DIA via American Israeli Cooperative Enterprise -- May 28, 2003
WMD Trail Leads Searchers To Trailers
CBS News -- May 21, 2003
Suspected Mobile Bio-Weapons Labs Discovered in Iraq
JINSA -- May 15, 2003
The equipment included a fermenter that could help to produce germ warfare agents, as well as gas cylinders to supply clear air for agent production and a system to capture and compress exhaust gasses to evade detection of weapons production.
101st providing safe environment in northern Iraq
Army News Service -- May 14, 2003
Soldiers from the 101st Airbourne Division found this mobile lab May 9 that could have been used for manufacturing biological weapons located just north of the city of Mosul.
[I hate to nitpick, but wouldn't it need wheels to qualify as a "mobile" lab?]
[This story has gone into the memory hole, but I found a few copies via google. David Kay, whose expertise lies in nuclear weapons, offered his impromptu analysis of alleged bio-weapons production trailers.]
Suspected bioweapons labs found; three trailers believed to be mobile laboratories
MSNBC -- May 11, 2003
Military teams searching for biological and chemical weapons in Iraq found three trailers believed to be mobile biological weapons laboratories capable of producing deadly germs for weapons, NBC News reported.
The teams found the trailers at a bombed-out rocket and missile factory near Mosul in northern Iraq. One of the trailers was missing its canvas cover, wheels and plumbing -- most likely taken by looters -- but the essential parts, including a compressor and dryer needed to produce weapons grade anthrax, were intact. Military teams were conducting tests for traces of biological weapons, according to NBC News.
Former U.N. weapons inspector David Kay told NBC there was no other possible purpose for the lab. "This is it," he said.
The New York Times, meanwhile, reported on what appears to be the same lab in its Sunday editions.
The newspaper quoted a leader of one of the teams of experts as saying the laboratory could be used for medicinal and peaceful purposes, as well as for making deadly germs for weapons. The paper quoted the unidentified special forces officer as saying that Iraq's failure to disclose the site showed that the ousted regime had violated U.N. disarmament demands.
"The failure to disclose such equipment is a clear violation of United Nations sanctions and an indication of ill intent," the Times quoted the team leader as saying.
Despite U.S. claims that Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction, none have been found since American-led forces seized Baghdad and toppled the regime a month ago. Many of Saddam's elite units failed to mount a credible resistance, leading to suspicions that some of them may be trying to reorganize.
The possible find also comes as the 75th Exploitation Task Force directing the search for weapons of mass destruction is making plans to head home in June,The Washington Post reported.
Last week, the Pentagon reported the discovery of another suspected mobile lab. That lab was scrubbed with a bleach-like substance to remove any possible trace of biological weapons, officials said, but was capable of producing them.
Weapons trailer may have been found
NBC News via WNDU -- May 11, 2003
The trailer is one of three that was found outside Mosul ...
U.S. Tests Suspected Bioweapons Lab
CBS News -- May 7, 2003
U.S. Troops Find Evidence of Iraqi WMD Programs
Mobile biological weapons laboratory found near Mosul
US Dept. of State -- May 7, 2003
The mobile laboratory was seized April 19 at a Kurdish checkpoint in northern Iraq. It had been freshly painted in a military camouflage pattern and thoroughly washed with a caustic solution.
Intelligence Fiasco
Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity via Counterpunch -- May 1, 2003
MEMORANDUM FOR: The President
FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
SUBJECT: Intelligence Fiasco
We write to express deep concern over the growing mistrust and cynicism with which many, including veteran intelligence professionals inside and outside our movement, regard the intelligence cited by you and your chief advisers to justify the war against Iraq.
USA lied about Iraq's weapons
Aftenposten (Norway) -- March 19, 2003
A US-based Norwegian weapons inspector accuses the USA and Secretary of State Colin Powell with providing the United Nations Security Council with incorrect and misleading information about Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), newspaper Dagbladet reports.
Joern Siljeholm, Ph.D. in environmental chemistry, risk analysis and toxicology, said that the USA's basis for going to war is thin indeed, and called it a slap in the face to the United Nations weapons inspectors.
Siljeholm told Dagbladet that Colin Powell's report to the Security Council on how Iraq camouflaged their WMD program was full of holes.
"Much of what he said was wrong. It did not match up at all with our information. The entire speech was misleading," Siljeholm said.
Asked if the Americans lied, Siljeholm said: "Lie is a strong word - but yes, the information Powell presented about Iraq's nuclear program was simply incorrect," Siljeholm said.
Nuclear inspectors reportedly angry
CHECKING FALSE U.S. LEADS WASTED TIME, SOURCE SAYS
San Jose Mercury News -- March 18, 2003
By Dan Stober
Recent inspection teams have included a new batch of U.S. nuclear scientists from Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos national laboratories. The U.N. official described these inspectors as arriving as hawks and leaving as doves, after finding Iraq ``a ruined country, not a threat to anyone.'' It is a view radically different than the administration's.
Bush Clings To Dubious Allegations About Iraq
Washington Post -- March 18, 2003
By Walter Pincus and Dana Milbank
As the Bush administration prepares to attack Iraq this week, it is doing so on the basis of a number of allegations against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein that have been challenged -- and in some cases disproved -- by the United Nations, European governments and even U.S. intelligence reports.
UN pulls out its helicopters as Baghdad braces for conflict
AP via International Herald Tribune -- March 17, 2003
Iraq also handed over videotapes of mobile biological weapons laboratories to inspectors. Iraq says the videos show that the laboratories do not violate UN resolutions.