What damage to our U.S. Intelligence network is happening with such a partisan an administration using it for political manipulation and ulterior goals for private interests?

Democrats: Iraq story falls short


Kerry says larger issue is future confidence in U.S. intelligence.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The administration's explanation of how questionable intelligence about Iraq's alleged nuclear weapons programs made it into President Bush's State of the Union address leaves numerous questions unanswered, two Democratic presidential candidates said Sunday.

CIA Director George Tenet took responsibility Friday for allowing the following statement to remain in Bush's January 28 address: "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."

In March, International Atomic Energy Agency said the intelligence that Iraq had tried to buy 500 tons of uranium oxide, or yellowcake, from Niger was based on forged documents.

The White House later admitted the reference should not have been included in the speech, although Britain continues to stand behind the allegation.

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts told CNN's "Late Edition" that Tenet's statement of responsibility leaves "a host of questions" unanswered.

"Making him the fall guy does not resolve the question or make go away the questions about the overall intelligence, and why the administration clearly had this political tug of war over the kind of information they were presenting America," Kerry said "That is only going to be answered by the White House."






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