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 Source of Faulty Iraq Weapons Claims RevealedPosted on Nov 3, 2007
Meet Rafid Ahmed Alwan, otherwise known as “Curve Ball” in intelligence circles. He’s an Iraqi defector who apparently won himself a green card with his fabricated claims about Saddam Hussein’s regime harboring biological weapons, which became the CIA’s (and Colin Powell’s) key justification for the U.S. invasion of Iraq. However, as this BBC report points out, the CIA was tipped off by German intelligence officials well before the Iraq war began that Alwan might not be a reliable source. CBS News: 60 Minutes has learned that Alwan’s university records indicate he did study chemical engineering but earned nearly all low marks, mostly 50s. Simon’s investigation also uncovered an arrest warrant for theft from the Babel television production company in Baghdad where he once worked. Also appearing in Sunday’s segment is video that 60 Minutes obtained of Alwan at a Baghdad wedding in 1993. He eventually wound up in the care of German intelligence officials to whom he continued to spin his tale of biological weapons. His plan succeeded partially because he had worked briefly at the plant outside Baghdad and his descriptions of it were mostly accurate. He embellished his account by saying 12 workers had been killed by biological agents in an accident at the plant. Advertisement  Previous item: Musharraf Declares State of Emergency in Pakistan Next item: White House, Musharraf at Odds Over Emergency Rule Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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By ocjim, November 5, 2007 at 6:01 pm #
And the source of the Bush regime’s foreign policy is the “splitter,” for all neocons will risk splitting up the world into greeds and seeds. The greeds will exploit everyone else for personal gain. The seeds will nurture for the good of humanity. The greeds are winning under the neocons.
Report thisBy weather, November 5, 2007 at 10:35 am #
Oh sure, this is the reason we went full ahead looking for WMD? What a fabricated fraud!
Report thisNo. You can thank the NY Times(an Israeli PR firm)for telling America week after week that they were there.
By Jose, November 5, 2007 at 10:08 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
They’ve learned their lesson. For the recent allegations against Iran the Neocons have avoided the messy business of providing supporting evidence. Keep the discussion safely in the realm of pure fantasy.
Report thisBy mark, November 5, 2007 at 12:39 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
After watching the CBS 60 Minutes piece on CurveBall I’m convinced the whole 60 Minutes program was a WH/CIA production. The show is a nice intriguing story that takes you to a very unbelievable conclusion, that Curveball did all this mischief on his own to gain German residence. I’ve been to Nurnberg. It ain’t worth risking your life. This is a pitch that even Curveball wouldn’t dare throw.
Report thisBy Yasir Yamin, November 5, 2007 at 12:00 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Wait!
Everyone here like to say it was Israel who did this but now you find it was an Iraq man who made lies.
And now writers want to blame USA but this come from Germany!
You have much credibility issue. USA is like two countries at war inside themselves. They are two political armies who fight wrong people. Your party hate others president much and try to find cause of problem at everything he does. I even see you blame him for fires and hurricane weather.
Its sad that USA supposed to be great country but your party not honest for truth and what is real. USA president help world much. You think he make problem but you do not understand problems here.
You are enemy to yourself by doing this. We get to have much humor for reading about you here. Most are not having much logic in your party.
Cheers
Report thisBy PaulMagillSmith, November 4, 2007 at 9:19 pm #
So now that we know he acquired his green card under false pretenses, and lied to federal officials in the process, let’s snatch that card out of his miserable paws, and put him in jail with all other perjurers where he belongs. Come to think of it deporting him to Iraq, because he’s an undesirable alien here, might be a better punishment. Iraq has over a mllion dead and four million displaced because of this lying piece of crap, so I’m sure they will figure out an appropriate punishment. Although I am fundamentally against the death penalty, if there were ever a case to be made for it, here’s your poster boy.
Report thisBy rodney, November 4, 2007 at 1:52 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
How much money did we pay him for his lies? Probably as much as Chalabi. Convenient lies that were known lies were used to start a war. All with the help of the media and while the rest of America was living in fear eating freedom fries or as the President told us to do go shopping. Because of fear and ignorance we are reaping what Bush have sowed and getting what ignorance we deserved.
Report thisBy JohnD, November 4, 2007 at 12:32 pm #
Yes…........
Report thisBush/Cheney thre us a “curve ball”.
Time to stop swinging.
By DennisD, November 4, 2007 at 12:18 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
If “Curveball, Oddball or Eightball” didn’t exist, Bu$h Inc. surely would’ve invented him.
He’s just the picture on the cover of the Iraq blame all book when everyone knows the author was Cheney.
Where was this type of reporting when it mattered, five plus years ago and how many dead later?
60 Minutes - what’s next, some timely WWII revelations?
Report thisBy Mim Song, November 4, 2007 at 9:36 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
I’d call him “Patient 0”.
Report thisBy thomas billis, November 4, 2007 at 7:49 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Yes curveball helped us get into the war but let us not forget the real culprits,screwball{George W Bush}and spitball{Dick Cheney}.
Report thisBy Outraged, November 4, 2007 at 5:05 am #
Quote: “Alwans university records indicate he did study chemical engineering but earned nearly all low marks, mostly 50s.”
*I find it hard to believe they wouldn’t have known about his educational “prowess”. That they WOULDN’T have investigated it. It makes more sense to say they did know, at least some of them, well before he “turned up” in Germany and used him specifically FOR THAT REASON. With scores like THAT he’d fit right in with the Bush entourage.
“It was a guy trying to get his green card essentially, in Germany, and playing the system for what it was worth,” says Drumheller. “It just shows ... the law of unintended consequences,” he tells Simon.”
*Sounds more like the “law of I could care less, now hand over my dollars”. Seems odd that he just “turns up” at the right time, with the right story, has the right occupation, and happened to work for “a short time” at the right place. Will wonders ever cease.
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