Maddow: MSNBC Special on Iraq WMD Will "Upset" Many

[Amerigus]

130. No proof either way means we should not have invaded...

The people didn't know, the Congress didn't know, the media didn't know, but the intelligence agencies did know. That's the stated point of this special, the accounts of dissent within the government and how they were treated.

There have been three cases I know of where agents found out their dissents were being steamrolled only as the principals were giving public speeches. In Hubris, Zinni talks of almost choking on his lozenge when Cheney tells the Veterans of Foreign Wars WMD have been found. Another career intel official threw his shoe at the TV when he heard Bush make a similar comment.

Tyler Drumheller, the European Chief of the CIA was flabbergasted to hear in Colin Powell's address that Curveball was referenced when he had already been assured he was removed. Overseas, the Brits knew - the Germans knew, their paper trails are also documented.

Those of us out on the street protesting had hunches, but couldn't prove it.

So I think the thrust of this book/TV special will be learning how those inside the government who actually knew were squelched and ignored.

But you're right that there needed to be inspections on the ground. Powell thought WMD would eventually be found, even though there had been no real evidence beforehand, they'd rustle something up and that all would be okay. Hans Blix not only said his inspectors saw no evidence of WMD, but that Cheney took him aside and told him to lie to Bush, to say there were, or he'd be discredited.