Niger Mischief: "It is very clear now that this document was forged by a couple of the shadowy ex-government characters who dwell in the environs of Washington and was planted in Italy on the basis of the personal contacts of one of them with the intention of influencing the debate over Iraq in this country. How do I know that? Well, I just do in the way that intelligence officers learn things. Good sources, multiple sources, first person accounts, probabilities, that is how one learns things. Could I swear to it in court? No. Intelligence conclusions are not things that can be sworn to in court.
Nevertheless, one must ask why the newsmedia are sitting on this story. The answer seems simple. 'Carrots and Sticks, carrots and sticks.' Work it out. "
Background: You probably already know this but this Niger document Mr. Lang refers to, is the justification used by the Bushites as proof that Saddam Hussein was building a nuclear program. They were very likely creating false documents in an effort to "fix intelligence" (Downing Street Memo) so they could invade Iraq. The real reason they wanted to invade Iraq is illusive, but I suspect all or some of the following reasons: oil, personal grudge ("he tried to kill my dad"), oil, religious crusade, oil, Halliburton, oil. Did I miss any?
