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White House: Bush Knew in August Iran Had Halted Nuclear Weapons Program
December 05, 2007 6:57 PM
ABC News' Martha Raddatz Reports: The White House made a stunning admission Wednesday that appeared to suggest President Bush has directly contradicted himself about when he learned U.S. intelligence that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program.
During a press conference on Tuesday, the President told reporters that he was briefed that there was new intelligence information about Iran, but nothing specific.
"I was made aware of the NIE last week," Bush said Tuesday. "In August, I think it was [Director of National Intelligence] Mike McConnell came in and said, we have some new information. He didn't tell me what the information was; he did tell me it was going to take a while to analyze."
However today the White House is saying the President was told much more.
After taking a reporters' question earlier today about exactly what the President was told, White House press secretary Dana Perino provided a response to reporters Wednesday night.
Perino stated Bush had been told in August that Iran suspended it's covert nuclear weapons program.
"In August, DNI Director McConnell advised President Bush that the intelligence community would not be able to meet a congressionally imposed deadline requiring a National Intelligence Estimate on Iran because new information had been obtained just as they were about to finalize the report," Perino wrote in an emailed response.
"He said that if the new information turns out to be true, what we thought we knew for sure is right. Iran does in fact have a covert nuclear weapons program, but it may be suspended," Perino's email said.
Perino also said McConnell told the President the new information might cause the intelligence community to change its assessment of Iran's covert nuclear program.
The latest National Intelligence Estimate -- declassified excerpts of which were released on Monday -- found that Iran actually shelved it's nuclear weapons program in 2003.
Despite the fact that Bush was told in August that U.S. intelligence agencies believed Iran's nuclear weapons program had been halted, the Bush administration continued to raise the rhetoric against Iran, calling for a third round of United Nations sanctions.
The President even warned publicly in October about a World War III if Iran didn't cease their weapons program.
"I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them (Iran) from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon," Bush said in October.
December 5, 2007 in Vote 2008: Democrats | Permalink | User Comments (157)
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...and this guy actually got elected!? I'd like this dolt out of office before he kills me, my family, and my nation. A little help here?
Posted by: VeteranD | Dec 5, 2007 7:19:08 PM
does anyone have the b***s to impeach this idiot, before he starts another War? Unfortunately, Dick is next in line.....unless both get impeached, it appears that what we have here is an an intricate and difficult problem, also known an a conundrum.
Posted by: bert | Dec 5, 2007 7:30:09 PM
Thank God someone smart at the CIA
prevented GWB from continuing his irrational march to war with Iran. Now
if they just could have done this with Iraq.....
Posted by: Leprkin | Dec 5, 2007 7:32:27 PM
How can it be that this moron is still in office? He's going to leave a smoking hole in the ground where the US used to be.
Posted by: Eric | Dec 5, 2007 7:32:50 PM
Ok so continuing to enrich more and more uranium, enough to build a bomb with isn't proof of their ambitions either? Look they stopped their program because in order to continue it they need enough weapons grade uranium! I mean would you continue building a house without a foundation? Its not rocket science to point out that a nuclear weapons program cannot continue without the necessary materials.. Idiots
Posted by: Luke | Dec 5, 2007 7:36:34 PM
Unbelievable.
And yet he still sits in office and everyone in life goes about normal...as if there isn't an elephant sitting in the living room.
He continues to do what he wants, say what he wants-when he wants. And doesn't even get penalized for it! Unbelievable!
Bush is crazy. There is a void of intelligence,sensibilities, logic, compassion, etc, etc.
The Greatest American Nut Job of All-that has ran this country. He takes the cake!
May God have mercy on us in the future for all the chaos he has "sown".
Posted by: AirForce Veteran Ohio | Dec 5, 2007 7:42:37 PM
Bush knows the American people are easily swayed and duped. He considers you all infidels, ignorant minions. He knows the American people likes being duped and lied to. They will fall for anything.
Posted by: Lies More Lies | Dec 5, 2007 7:46:36 PM
Please God have the United States wake up and impeach Bush, Chaney and Rice........Bush and company are the biggest idiots representing the united states........
Posted by: gus | Dec 5, 2007 7:59:38 PM
To think he was elected and reelected! The majority are responsible for this idiot and should remember the rhetoric of these past seven years next November.... Let's return to common sense and less partisan bull***t.
Posted by: Steve | Dec 5, 2007 8:15:03 PM
President George W Bush is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in Iraq as a result of an illegal, aggressive invasion that he launched on the basis of lies. Now he is trying to launch another aggressive and illegal war against Iran, also based on lies. The man should be impeached and spend his remaining years alone in a cold prison cell.
Posted by: Roger | Dec 5, 2007 8:21:29 PM
What a liar! He keep's on lying trying to pick a war with Iran when HE KNEW it was all BS. This man is a nut case and he should be removed from office. And we don't need another Republican just like him!
Posted by: concordcan | Dec 5, 2007 8:22:18 PM
It will take the us decades to rebuild the trust of the world, and george w. bush tore it down in eight years. We have to rebuild this great country of ours by taking care of our own us citizens and stop rebuilding-destroying other nations. We are only as strong as our weekest person, look around, we have hunger, poor people, no medical. give me God back in this country.
Posted by: robert | Dec 5, 2007 8:32:50 PM
And people wonder why Muslims think the American government is out to get them....
Posted by: dgra123 | Dec 5, 2007 8:33:58 PM
It's Bush for crying out loud. What do people expect? If its honesty, they better wake up - they are not going to get it!
The rest of the world is laughing at the every day stupidity of this crook muppet president.
Posted by: Bush And Cheney Are Crooks | Dec 5, 2007 8:36:01 PM
What evidence, exactly, do we need before there are sufficent grounds to impeach the entire White House gang? To paraphrase the neocon master, I'd rather not have the proof of their insanity be a mushroom cloud over my town and soldiers quartered in my livingroom.
Posted by: h5mind | Dec 5, 2007 8:36:28 PM
just like saddam hussein? saddam wanted to convince the world he was close to having the nuclear bomb, until someone took him up on it. until recently, very recently, ockmadinijods own statements leaned heavily towards convincing everyone that he is close to having one with the thousands of centrifuges operating. why wouldnt bush doubt the intel or at least postpone changing course until it was finished being analized?
Posted by: bronda | Dec 5, 2007 8:41:09 PM
you sound like you want the job newzjunky
Posted by: frank | Dec 5, 2007 8:42:40 PM
Somebody please wake me up and tell me that GWB has not once again.. provided proof that he is mentally ill. As no one in their right mind can be this stupid and keep making a fool of themselves like this over and over again. I was once a Republican.. but after what this idiot has done to our country for generations to come. I will vote for anybody that is not a Republican. He needs to be impeached yesterday.
Posted by: senterman | Dec 5, 2007 8:49:19 PM
I hate Bush... he will go down as America's worst President in history. And to think he was elected twice!
Posted by: HEATH | Dec 5, 2007 8:49:55 PM
All of you anti Bush clowns need only look at history to see what happens when you stick your head in a hole... Chamberlain is a perfect example.
Posted by: You Are All Idiot's | Dec 5, 2007 8:50:05 PM
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