Revealed: last-minute changes to Iraq dossier

[Nambe]

Independent Digital (UK) Ltd By Jo Dillon, Deputy Political Editor

The Government's dossier on Iraq's weapons capability was hardened up in the days before its publication in a number of key respects that did not tally with the views of some of its most senior experts, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. -

Right up until the publication of the final draft, and as late as 19 September, the document was entitled "Iraq's programme for weapons of mass destruction". But on 24 September, when the Government published the finished version, it left out the words "programme for". -

The revelations give further support to Dr Kelly's concerns, which formed the basis of BBC Radio 4's defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan's claim that the dossier had been "sexed up".

The inquiry has also prompted a new dispute over the evidence given to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee in June by Alastair Campbell, the Prime Minister's communications chief.

Mr Campbell insisted that he first saw the 45-minutes claim in the first draft of the dossier to be presented to the Government. He said it was discussed at a meeting of the Iraq communications group he chaired on 10 September.

But Hutton inquiry evidence suggests that the meeting was held five days earlier. -

[realFedUp]

1. Why these guys aren't looking for new jobs is beyond me...

.

[Minstrel Boy]

2. "hardened up"... "sexed up"...

It really is all about dicks, isn't it?

[LauraK]

3. It's about 'tricky dicks'. We had one here in Amerika.

There is a small poster in our Dem office here from the '72 elections. "Don't Change Dicks in The Middle of a Screw - Vote for Nixon in Seventy Two." I assume there was a Dick on the Dem Ticket.

[AlGore-08.com]

4. Nope, George McGovern & Sargent Shriver were on the Dem ticket

http://www.uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/GENERAL/pe1972.html

I still remember my parents' "McGovern" bumpersticker getting defaced - - some proto-freeper slapped a Navy bumpersticker over it.

[Kolesar]

5. absolute testosterone poisoning

[TacticalPeek]

8. At least, so saith the George:

"And you know, even the bombs, bullets and shells are shaped like the penis. It's part of a subconscious need to inject the penis into another's affairs. It's called Fucking with people"- George Carlin comparing war to a prick fight.

He has a bit he does on this that's very funny. I can't recap it here with justice, but in effect, he suggests we just cut to the chase and have Raygun and his Rooskie counterpart meet, whip it out and see who's the biggest and baddest (complete with maniacal, lewd gestures on stage).

George is a gem.

[0007]

6. It never ceases to amaze me how these government

silly little buggers can lie and spin.

Here in America we're just not up to the task of taking the liars and cheats the extra mile. It appears we're always stumped for
an answer.....or maybe we're just like them?

[oasis]

7. "weapons progam" in lieu of the real McCoy. yup, that'll do. NOT