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American Morning
Intelligence Failure
Aired January 29, 2004 - 07:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the growing controversy over pre-war intelligence on Iraq -- or lack of it. David Kay, the former chief U.S. weapons inspector, says Saddam Hussein did not have stockpiles of banned weapons. Kay says an independent investigation is needed to find out why U.S. intelligence claimed that it did.
Congressional correspondent Joe Johns is live for us this morning on Capitol Hill with more.
Joe -- good morning.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
David Kay said an independent investigation is needed to assure the quality of U.S. intelligence in the future, but the partisan bickering over this issue continues.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS (voice-over): David Kay's assessment was straightforward on the intelligence that lead the U.S. to war.
DAVID KAY, FMR. CHIEF U.S. WEAPONS INSPECTOR IN IRAQ: It turns out we were all wrong, probably, in my judgment. And that is most disturbing.
JOHNS: Kay even predicted that try as they might, inspectors who remain on the job searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq probably won't find much.
KAY: It is highly unlikely that there were large stockpiles of deployed, militarized chemical and biological weapons there.
JOHNS: Still, the hearing was frustrating for Democrats, who came prepared to rake the administration over the coals. Kay refused to play.
SEN. TED KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Can you give us any explanation of why these agencies in retrospect appear to have had it right, and the information that the administration used appeared to have it wrong?
KAY: It's a lot easier after the fact and after you know the truth to be selective that you were right.
JOHNS: Also, helpful to the White House: Kay said there was no attempt to pressure intelligence analysts to reach certain policy conclusions.
KAY: Let me take one of the explanations most commonly given: Analysts were pressured to reach conclusions that would fit the political agenda of one or another administration. I deeply think that is a wrong explanation.
JOHNS: The committee's top Democrat, Carl Levin called for an outside investigation of the quality of the intelligence and the way it was used to make the case for war. Levin got an important ally in Republican Senator John McCain, who decided to support an outside probe after raising the issue with Kay.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Do you believe that we need an independent outside investigation?
JOHNS: Kay suggested it's almost inevitable in order to ensure the quality of future intelligence.
KAY: You will finally determine that it is going to take an outside inquiry, both to do it and to give yourself and the American people the confidence that you have done it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: Republicans argue the search for weapons of mass destruction is not over yet, and it's too early to reach conclusions. But the Republican chairman of the Intelligence Committee says he is wrapping up his investigation.
Soledad -- back to you.
O'BRIEN: Joe Johns joining us from the capitol this morning. Joe, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired January 29, 2004 - 07:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the growing controversy over pre-war intelligence on Iraq -- or lack of it. David Kay, the former chief U.S. weapons inspector, says Saddam Hussein did not have stockpiles of banned weapons. Kay says an independent investigation is needed to find out why U.S. intelligence claimed that it did.
Congressional correspondent Joe Johns is live for us this morning on Capitol Hill with more.
Joe -- good morning.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
David Kay said an independent investigation is needed to assure the quality of U.S. intelligence in the future, but the partisan bickering over this issue continues.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS (voice-over): David Kay's assessment was straightforward on the intelligence that lead the U.S. to war.
DAVID KAY, FMR. CHIEF U.S. WEAPONS INSPECTOR IN IRAQ: It turns out we were all wrong, probably, in my judgment. And that is most disturbing.
JOHNS: Kay even predicted that try as they might, inspectors who remain on the job searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq probably won't find much.
KAY: It is highly unlikely that there were large stockpiles of deployed, militarized chemical and biological weapons there.
JOHNS: Still, the hearing was frustrating for Democrats, who came prepared to rake the administration over the coals. Kay refused to play.
SEN. TED KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Can you give us any explanation of why these agencies in retrospect appear to have had it right, and the information that the administration used appeared to have it wrong?
KAY: It's a lot easier after the fact and after you know the truth to be selective that you were right.
JOHNS: Also, helpful to the White House: Kay said there was no attempt to pressure intelligence analysts to reach certain policy conclusions.
KAY: Let me take one of the explanations most commonly given: Analysts were pressured to reach conclusions that would fit the political agenda of one or another administration. I deeply think that is a wrong explanation.
JOHNS: The committee's top Democrat, Carl Levin called for an outside investigation of the quality of the intelligence and the way it was used to make the case for war. Levin got an important ally in Republican Senator John McCain, who decided to support an outside probe after raising the issue with Kay.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Do you believe that we need an independent outside investigation?
JOHNS: Kay suggested it's almost inevitable in order to ensure the quality of future intelligence.
KAY: You will finally determine that it is going to take an outside inquiry, both to do it and to give yourself and the American people the confidence that you have done it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: Republicans argue the search for weapons of mass destruction is not over yet, and it's too early to reach conclusions. But the Republican chairman of the Intelligence Committee says he is wrapping up his investigation.
Soledad -- back to you.
O'BRIEN: Joe Johns joining us from the capitol this morning. Joe, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
