John Conyers to Bush: Release the Hadley Memo

U.S. Rep John Conyers has a post on Huffington Post, which includes a letter he sent to George W. Bush.

March 30, 2006

The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write to ask that you publicly release an October 2002 memorandum that informed you that the Energy Department and State Department disagreed with assessments that Iraq was seeking to acquire nuclear weapons materials. The memorandum was submitted to you by then-Deputy National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.

Throughout the past several years, you have claimed frequently that Saddam Hussein had been attempting to acquire the materials necessary to build nuclear weapons. In fact, during your 2003 State of the Union Address, you stated, "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production." Shortly after this speech, the United States invaded Iraq, but no nuclear weapons materials have been located.

According to the National Journal, you were aware prior to the 2003 State of the Union that Iraq did not possess such materials. In summarizing a National Intelligence Estimate for you in October 2002, Mr. Hadley noted that, while many agencies believed the aluminum tubes were "related to a uranium enrichment effort," the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research and the Energy Department's intelligence branch "believe that the tubes more likely are intended for conventional weapons." In short, these two intelligence agencies disagreed with your State of the Union assertion.

I am certain you would agree that, as we enter the fourth year of the invasion, it is important for the American people to understand exactly what set of circumstances led to your authorization of military action. For that reason, I ask that you release Mr. Hadley's memorandum.

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr.
Ranking Member

Also, In case you missed The Daily Show last night, it was a good one. Talked about the story in the New York Times that Bush was planning to go to war no matter what the weapons' inspectors found or didn't find. And then showed a lot of clips of Bush saying "No president wants to go to war" and stuff like that.

Video here.

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