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AP Takes Dictation From Democrat Carl Levin
Yesterday’s Associated Press report via Yahoo News:
The Salman Pak terrorist training facility in Iraq.
Pentagon says pre-war intel not illegal
By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer Thu Feb 8, 6:51 PM ET
WASHINGTON - Some of the Pentagon’s prewar intelligence work, including a contention that the CIA underplayed the likelihood of al-Qaida connections to Saddam Hussein, was inappropriate but not illegal, a Defense Department investigation has concluded.
In a report to be presented to Congress on Friday, the department’s inspector general said former Pentagon policy chief Douglas J. Feith had not engaged in illegal activities through the creation of special offices to review intelligence. Some Democrats also have contended that Feith misled Congress about the basis of the administration’s assertions on the threat posed by Iraq, but the Pentagon investigation did not support that…
Here is today’s version from self-same reporter at the Associated Press via CBS News:
‘Damning’ Report On Prewar Intelligence
Pentagon Probe Finds Efforts To Link Saddam And Al Qaeda Were Wrong But Not Illegal
Friday, February 9, 2007
(02-09) 08:16 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) — A “very damning” report by the Defense Department’s inspector general depicts a Pentagon that purposely manipulated intelligence in an effort to link Saddam Hussein to al-Qaida in the runup to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, says the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“That was the argument that was used to make the sale to the American people about the need to go to war,” said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. He said the Pentagon’s work, “which was wrong, which was distorted, which was inappropriate … is something which is highly disturbing.”
The investigation by acting inspector general Thomas F. Gimble found that prewar intelligence work at the Pentagon, including a contention that the CIA had underplayed the likelihood of an al-Qaida connection, was inappropriate but not illegal. The report was to be presented to Levin’s panel at a hearing Friday.
The report found that former Pentagon policy chief Douglas J. Feith had not engaged in illegal activities through the creation of special offices to review intelligence. Some Democrats also have contended that Feith misled Congress about the basis of the administration’s assertions on the threat posed by Iraq, but the Pentagon investigation did not support that. Two people familiar with the findings discussed the main points and some details Thursday on condition they not be identified.
Levin has asserted that President Bush took the country to war in Iraq based in part on intelligence assessments — some shaped by Feith’s office — that were off base and did not fully reflect the views of the intelligence community.
In a telephone interview Thursday, Levin said the IG report is “very damning” and shows a Pentagon policy shop trying to shape intelligence to prove a link between al-Qaida and Saddam…
Of course in both articles Mr. Burns is just being the amanuensis for the America-hating Democrat Senator Levin. (Whereas it’s not even clear if Mr. Levin has yet to read the report, which is to be presented to him today.)
But the AP reporter (or his DNC bosses) decided he didn’t lay it on thick enough in his first report.
And so he did a rewrite.