Iraq and the Issue of Imminence

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The failure to find Iraq-s weapons of mass destruction has produced heated controversy over the adequacy of US intelligence as the basis for pre-emptive war. George Tenet-s CIA never said the threat from Iraq was -imminent,- and that has been the accepted standard for pre-emptive attack. But President Bush says, in this age of terrorism and nuclear weapons, waiting until the threat became -imminent- would have been waiting too long. Was removing Saddam Hussein the right thing to do, even if the intelligence reports were all wrong? Has Pakistan-s worldwide sharing of nuclear secrets made it a far more -imminent- threat than Iraq ever was? We get perspective from experts in national security, domestic policy, and foreign affairs. Making News: Truck Bomb Kills 50 at Police Station South of Baghdad In Iraq today, more than 50 people were killed in attacks on Iraqis who are already part of the new police force or applying for jobs. The truck bomb was the eighth vehicle bombing this year in Iraq. Newsweek's Joshua Hammer, currently on assignment in Baghdad, says this attack is the worst yet on police stations and another attempt by insurgents to intimidate Iraqi working with the US-led coalition in that country. Reporter's Notebook: US, Mexican Soccer Teams Face-Off in Olympic Qualifying Game The US soccer team has won 6 of its last 8 games against Mexico. The unkindest cut of all came in 2002, when the US knocked Mexico out of the World Cup. That-s just one reason that tonight-s Olympic qualifying game has aroused so much national attention. Sergio Sarmiento, commentator for Mexico's TV Azteca and an avid soccer fan, says that for Mexican soccer fans, it's also an issue of national honor.
The failure to find Iraq-s weapons of mass destruction has produced heated controversy over the adequacy of US intelligence as the basis for pre-emptive war. George Tenet-s CIA never said the threat from Iraq was -imminent,- and that has been the accepted standard for pre-emptive attack. But President Bush says, in this age of terrorism and nuclear weapons, waiting until the threat became -imminent- would have been waiting too long. Was removing Saddam Hussein the right thing to do, even if the intelligence reports were all wrong? Has Pakistan-s worldwide sharing of nuclear secrets made it a far more -imminent- threat than Iraq ever was? We get perspective from experts in national security, domestic policy, and foreign affairs.
  • Making News: Truck Bomb Kills 50 at Police Station South of Baghdad
    In Iraq today, more than 50 people were killed in attacks on Iraqis who are already part of the new police force or applying for jobs. The truck bomb was the eighth vehicle bombing this year in Iraq. Newsweek's Joshua Hammer, currently on assignment in Baghdad, says this attack is the worst yet on police stations and another attempt by insurgents to intimidate Iraqi working with the US-led coalition in that country.
  • Reporter's Notebook: US, Mexican Soccer Teams Face-Off in Olympic Qualifying Game
    The US soccer team has won 6 of its last 8 games against Mexico. The unkindest cut of all came in 2002, when the US knocked Mexico out of the World Cup. That-s just one reason that tonight-s Olympic qualifying game has aroused so much national attention. Sergio Sarmiento, commentator for Mexico's TV Azteca and an avid soccer fan, says that for Mexican soccer fans, it's also an issue of national honor.

CIA Director George Tenet's remarks about Iraq's WMD

President Bush discusses Iraq in 2004 State of the Union address

David Kay's testimony to Congressional Intelligence Committees (October, 2003)

Olympic Football (soccer)

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney