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CNN Sunday Morning
The Weapons Hunt
Aired February 01, 2004 - 08:05 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The CIA says it did not manipulate prewar intelligence on Iraq to appease the White House. And that should be welcomed news at the White House, which has been accused of pressuring the CIA to help make a compelling case against Iraq.
CNN White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, joining us now with the very latest on this.
Good morning to you, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
Well, there is no official confirmation from the White House this morning. Administration and congressional sources are telling us that the administration wants to see some type of independent investigation on the prewar intelligence. In the meantime, there are six different panels that are already investigating the matter, and the results are mixed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): There is no evidence that the CIA changed its Iraq intelligence to support President Bush's case to go to war. That's the conclusion from the CIA's own review of its faulty prewar intelligence that Iraq had stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. Richard J. Kerr, the former deputy CIA director who is leading the internal review, told CNN Saturday, "There is no evidence to support that the CIA analysts shaded their views to help the administration make its case for war."
Kerr said Vice President Dick Cheney's multiple trips to CIA headquarters to question the agency's studies regarding Iraq's weapons programs and alleged links to al Qaeda were part of a normal but aggressive process to get the CIA to prove its conclusions were founded. Kerr says of course the CIA was under pressure, that Cheney asked hard questions, probes a lot, doesn't take info on face value, but that the CIA didn't buckle to any pressure or suggestion that might have helped the administration make its case for war.
But critics say this is exactly what one would expect the CIA to say from an internal review. That's why an independent commission is necessary.
LARRY JOHNSON, FMR. CIA ANALYST: The position the administration took in the lead-up to the war was exaggerating the intelligence, and that there were intelligence officers who were pressured and intimidated. That process did take place. Dick Kerr says it didn't; I think it needs to be looked at in an objective fashion.
MALVEAUX: While House and Senate intelligence committees have their own probes going on, it was the administration's former weapons inspector, David Kay's, testimony this week...
DAVID KAY, FMR. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: It is going to take an outside inquiry.
MALVEAUX: ... that convinced some lawmakers, including Republican Senator, John McCain, to call for an independent commission.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to know the facts.
MALVEAUX: Administration and congressional sources tell CNN that despite the White House's public denunciations for an independent commission, it is searching for a compromise. Sources tell CNN Cheney has been calling key lawmakers to try to come up with the best way to possibly set up an independent investigation that would not be controlled by Congress or the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Now, intelligence officials said they wouldn't comment on this report until CIA director George Tenet actually got a chance to fully review it. But as he also, he said, "All along we weren't cooking the books" -- Heidi.
COLLINS: I want to ask you Suzanne, quickly, you mentioned in your piece about the possible independent review or investigation here. What's the latest on that?
MALVEAUX: Well, the administration's thinking behind this is that they really want to go ahead and show that they're cooperating. At the same time, they really want to get ahead of this issue.
This is an issue that has become politically charged, and it could be a liability for the administration in this election season. They want to make sure that they show the American people they're cooperating. At the same time, they still want to have some control over the investigation -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux this morning,
Thanks, Suzanne.
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 February 1, 2004 - 08:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The CIA says it did not manipulate prewar intelligence on Iraq to appease the White House. And that should be welcomed news at the White House, which has been accused of pressuring the CIA to help make a compelling case against Iraq.
CNN White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, joining us now with the very latest on this.
Good morning to you, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
Well, there is no official confirmation from the White House this morning. Administration and congressional sources are telling us that the administration wants to see some type of independent investigation on the prewar intelligence. In the meantime, there are six different panels that are already investigating the matter, and the results are mixed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): There is no evidence that the CIA changed its Iraq intelligence to support President Bush's case to go to war. That's the conclusion from the CIA's own review of its faulty prewar intelligence that Iraq had stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. Richard J. Kerr, the former deputy CIA director who is leading the internal review, told CNN Saturday, "There is no evidence to support that the CIA analysts shaded their views to help the administration make its case for war."
Kerr said Vice President Dick Cheney's multiple trips to CIA headquarters to question the agency's studies regarding Iraq's weapons programs and alleged links to al Qaeda were part of a normal but aggressive process to get the CIA to prove its conclusions were founded. Kerr says of course the CIA was under pressure, that Cheney asked hard questions, probes a lot, doesn't take info on face value, but that the CIA didn't buckle to any pressure or suggestion that might have helped the administration make its case for war.
But critics say this is exactly what one would expect the CIA to say from an internal review. That's why an independent commission is necessary.
LARRY JOHNSON, FMR. CIA ANALYST: The position the administration took in the lead-up to the war was exaggerating the intelligence, and that there were intelligence officers who were pressured and intimidated. That process did take place. Dick Kerr says it didn't; I think it needs to be looked at in an objective fashion.
MALVEAUX: While House and Senate intelligence committees have their own probes going on, it was the administration's former weapons inspector, David Kay's, testimony this week...
DAVID KAY, FMR. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: It is going to take an outside inquiry.
MALVEAUX: ... that convinced some lawmakers, including Republican Senator, John McCain, to call for an independent commission.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to know the facts.
MALVEAUX: Administration and congressional sources tell CNN that despite the White House's public denunciations for an independent commission, it is searching for a compromise. Sources tell CNN Cheney has been calling key lawmakers to try to come up with the best way to possibly set up an independent investigation that would not be controlled by Congress or the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Now, intelligence officials said they wouldn't comment on this report until CIA director George Tenet actually got a chance to fully review it. But as he also, he said, "All along we weren't cooking the books" -- Heidi.
COLLINS: I want to ask you Suzanne, quickly, you mentioned in your piece about the possible independent review or investigation here. What's the latest on that?
MALVEAUX: Well, the administration's thinking behind this is that they really want to go ahead and show that they're cooperating. At the same time, they really want to get ahead of this issue.
This is an issue that has become politically charged, and it could be a liability for the administration in this election season. They want to make sure that they show the American people they're cooperating. At the same time, they still want to have some control over the investigation -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux this morning,
Thanks, Suzanne.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
