The article sounds like a 6 degrees of separation rationalization. Iraq could very well have sought yellow cake - but the article doesn’t seem to be any type of proof.

Niger exports mainly uranium, livestock, cowpeas, and onions.

Now, which export do you think Saddam’s representatives were going after?

Al-Zahawie proclaims innocence of Niger’s status as one of the world’s largest exporters of yellowcake — despite the fact that the West African nation had been Iraq’s principal supplier during the 1980s. https://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,491666,00.html (hereinafter "the Times article")

In the late 1980s, the Iraqi representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency—Iraq’s senior public envoy for nuclear matters, in effect—was a man named Wissam al-Zahawie. https://www.slate.com/id/2139609/

Conclusion: Zahawie’s proclamation of innocence is a lie.

"Frankly, I didn’t know that Niger produced uranium at all," he claims, emphasizing that he would have had no technical knowledge to even discuss such matters. "the Times article."

See paragraph 2 above.

Conclusion: He’s lying about that too.

Even in a light most favorable to the Joe Wilsonians, this individual is entitled to zero credibility. In a light most favorable to reality, he was there to get yellow cake.

FMG, are you listening?

First, if I want unbiased, reliable news, the last reporter I go to is Hitchens. Second, he is connecting circumstantial dots from a great distance. Third, bush himself has already admitted that this intelligence and thus, the yellowcake red herring, was faulty! If it was not, why would he have admitted that it was? The only other alternative was to admit that he lied, and so he has stated publicly that his intelligence was bad! (Of course, he also claimed that it was good, and then it was classified, and then there was a leak that he would hunt down, and then it wasn’t a leak, it was him, and it wasn’t leaking, it was declassifying) But, Hey! I’m not gonna question my President! He said it was faulty. Give it up!

[I don’t listen to Hitchens because he is] connecting circumstantial from a great distance

.....

he also claimed that it was good, and then it was classified, and then there was a leak that he would hunt down, and then it wasn’t a leak, it was him, and it wasn’t leaking, it was declassifying)

hmmm

Fung did you listen to him when he and Noam used to hang out and go to deep thinkers’ land together?

Funny.

But wasn’t the Bush Administration criticized, among other things, for failing to connect the dots before 911?

I don’t think Zahawie went to Niger for Uranium. He was there to drink tea and enjoy the sun. And spread the good will of the Hussein Regime.....

Paul

I think Bush’s major fault is that, unlike Clinton, he doesn’t leap to his own defense (and have a team of people to ruin anyone who attacks him). If we do connect the dots, I think it will vindicate Bush...he needs the machinery of slander/libel that the Dems have perfected.

Comment 1 by Nick

The article sounds like a 6 degrees of separation rationalization. Iraq could very well have sought yellow cake - but the article doesn’t seem to be any type of proof.

How does this July 2004 report by the Senate Intelligence work.

"Senate Intelligence Committee."