Weapons inspector accuses CIA
March 29, 2005 - 4:40PM
A former Australian weapons inspector today accused the CIA of blatantly attempting to change the findings of an interim report on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
Rod Barton, a former Australian defence official and expert on biological weapons joined the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) in late 2003 to assist in the hunt for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
By early 2004, the ISG had reached the conclusion that there were no WMD to be found. Its final report said there had been no WMD in Iraq and no programs since the end of the 1991 war.
However, removing Saddam Hussein's WMD was the key justification advanced by the US, Britain and Australia for the 2003 invasion.
Mr Barton said he believed the final ISG report, presented to the United States Congress in October last year, was frank and honest.
"As far as I am aware there was no attempt by any government to censor or in other any interview with the conclusions," he told a Senate committee today.
"Unfortunately this was not the case with respect to an interim report that I was involved with in March 2004."
Mr Barton said he was responsible for coordination and oversight of the interim report which was circulated to Canberra, London and Washington for comment.
He said the Australian comments were constructive and largely editorial.
"London, however, suggested that we add certain material," he said. "I believe these additions were designed to leave the impression that WMD may yet be found. This would have been contrary to our views.
"The CIA also sent suggested amendments. Many of these were quite useful but there were two amendments that were blatant attempts to change our findings.
"To the credit of Charles Duelfer, the head of the ISG, these attempts at changing the nature of the report were rejected."
Mr Barton said it was still a poor report as it did not say what the ISG knew by this time - that there were no WMD.
He said he resigned from the ISG as soon as a the final draft of the interim report was completed.
"In my view the report was symptomatic of a wider malaise in the ISG," he said.
"At that time there was no real objectivity in the investigation and it seemed to me that a lot of the direction, particularly in the chemical and biological areas, was coming from Washington."
-AAP
http://www.theage.com.au/news/Iraq/Weapons-inspector-accuses-CIA/2005/03/29/1111862380183.html
March 29, 2005 - 4:40PM
A former Australian weapons inspector today accused the CIA of blatantly attempting to change the findings of an interim report on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
Rod Barton, a former Australian defence official and expert on biological weapons joined the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) in late 2003 to assist in the hunt for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
By early 2004, the ISG had reached the conclusion that there were no WMD to be found. Its final report said there had been no WMD in Iraq and no programs since the end of the 1991 war.
However, removing Saddam Hussein's WMD was the key justification advanced by the US, Britain and Australia for the 2003 invasion.
Mr Barton said he believed the final ISG report, presented to the United States Congress in October last year, was frank and honest.
"As far as I am aware there was no attempt by any government to censor or in other any interview with the conclusions," he told a Senate committee today.
"Unfortunately this was not the case with respect to an interim report that I was involved with in March 2004."
Mr Barton said he was responsible for coordination and oversight of the interim report which was circulated to Canberra, London and Washington for comment.
He said the Australian comments were constructive and largely editorial.
"London, however, suggested that we add certain material," he said. "I believe these additions were designed to leave the impression that WMD may yet be found. This would have been contrary to our views.
"The CIA also sent suggested amendments. Many of these were quite useful but there were two amendments that were blatant attempts to change our findings.
"To the credit of Charles Duelfer, the head of the ISG, these attempts at changing the nature of the report were rejected."
Mr Barton said it was still a poor report as it did not say what the ISG knew by this time - that there were no WMD.
He said he resigned from the ISG as soon as a the final draft of the interim report was completed.
"In my view the report was symptomatic of a wider malaise in the ISG," he said.
"At that time there was no real objectivity in the investigation and it seemed to me that a lot of the direction, particularly in the chemical and biological areas, was coming from Washington."
-AAP
http://www.theage.com.au/news/Iraq/Weapons-inspector-accuses-CIA/2005/03/29/1111862380183.html
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 2:25 AM
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