Was Curveball Really a Taxi Driver? The Truth Behind Iraq's WMD Claims

[edward]

It was about a month ago that I read this in the newspaper. If it is a repeat please delete.

It turns out that the infamous Iraqi, code name Curveball ,was not what he appeared to be. He was not a scientist . I am short on time so here is the information from an article by george Will.

So were some U.S. officials, such as Margaret. But others became invested in Curveball's credibility, and soon they could not back down without risking personal mortification and institutional disgrace -- both of which came, of course, after the invasion. Then some of Curveball's Iraqi acquaintances were located and identified him as a "congenital liar" who was not a scientist but a taxi driver. But before the invasion, he supplied an important rationale for launching it: He was the most important source for Colin Powell's 80-minute address to the U.N. Security Council detailing Iraq's WMD programs, the address that solidified American support for war.

emphasis mine.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/09/AR2007110901942.html

This is so totally bizarre, a war started by a taxi driver.

 

[devil-fire]

some of the stuff in the article is quite extreme. people in the intelligence business taking information from some random guy with no verification about even his identity is ridiculous. the level of incompetence involved with using intelligence like that to start a war is truly extraordinary. i know mentally handy caped people who have a higher degree of professionalism then that, and its insulting to the handy caped people to even make that comparison.

there has to be a lot more to the story then that.

 

[edward]

some of the stuff in the article is quite extreme. people in the intelligence business taking information from some random guy with no verification about even his identity is ridiculous. the level of incompetence involved with using intelligence like that to start a war is truly extraordinary. i know mentally handy caped people who have a higher degree of professionalism then that, and its insulting to the handy caped people to even make that comparison.

there has to be a lot more to the story then that.

It is pretty simple, he told them what they wanted to hear. So did Chalabi

 

[devil-fire]

It is pretty simple, he told them what they wanted to hear. So did Chalabi

it sounds like that was the case, unfortunately. an intelligence organization that tells policy makers what they want to hear is about as useful as a justice department that convicts people just because they are on trial.