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CIA changes tune on Iraq WMD

February 3, 2005

WASHINGTON: The CIA is publishing a series of classified reports revising its pre-war intelligence assessments of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, an intelligence official says.

A January 18 report, titled "Iraq: No Large-Scale Chemical Warfare Efforts Since Early 1990s," concludes that Saddam Hussein abandoned major chemical weapons programs after the first Gulf War in 1991.

A January 4 CIA report addressed Baghdad's Scud missile and delivery system, while forthcoming reports are expected to revise pre-war estimates of Iraq's biological and nuclear capabilities.

The intelligence official, who asked not to be named, said the latest report was not considered a high-level document for review by US President George W Bush.

"This matches up what the assessment was before the war and what the assessment is after the war," the official said. "It takes into account post-war information that was, by definition, not available earlier."

US intelligence claims that Iraq possessed large stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons and was attempting to acquire nuclear capability formed a main justification for the 2003 invasion.

Former CIA Director George Tenet, who resigned last July, told Bush that finding WMD in Iraq would be a "slam dunk" according to journalist Bob Woodward's book "Plan of Attack".

But no WMD have been found in Iraq and US weapons inspector Charles Duelfer is expected this month to issue a final addendum to his September report concluding that pre-war Iraq had no such stockpiles.

"The CIA has finally admitted that its WMD estimates were wrong," Rep Jane Harman of California said in a statement.

She also called on CIA officials to conduct a vigorous review of intelligence on Iran and North Korea, "where active WMD programs are known to exist."

Bush has branded pre-war Iraq, Iran and North Korea as an "axis of evil".

The United States contends that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons.

Tehran denies the charge. But Vice President Dick Cheney, a main proponent of the Iraq war, stirred concern about possible military action against Iran recently by saying the country tops the administration list of world trouble spots.

The Bush administration is engaged in six-party talks with North Korea, which US officials say could have more than eight nuclear weapons.

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Other articles about this topic:
Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq’s WMD, 30 September 2004
CIA Rectifying Prewar Estimates on Iraq WMD