Pentagon 'twisted Iraq findings'

Mr Feith left the Pentagon in 2005, admitting doubts about Iraq
BBC

The Democratic chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee has suggested intelligence was twisted in the run-up to the war in Iraq.
Carl Levin responding to a report by the defence department's top watchdog, Inspector-General Thomas Gimble.

At issue is whether a former top Pentagon official was running an alternative intelligence operation.

Mr Gimble said Douglas Feith's office had not acted illegally but some of its activities had been "inappropriate".

Sen Levin suggested Mr Feith's office was reaching different conclusions to the CIA's in order to establish a link between Saddam Hussein's regime and al-Qaeda.

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Under repeated questioning by Sen Levin, Mr Gimble said the conclusions reached in reports by Mr Feith were not fully supported by the available intelligence.

'Relationship' unproven

In particular, his conclusion there was a "mature and symbiotic relationship" between Iraq and al-Qaeda could not be justified on the basis of the available intelligence.

And an alleged meeting between an Iraqi intelligence officer and a leader of the 9/11 attacks, Mohamed Atta, never took place.

Sen Levin suggested this proved intelligence had been twisted before going to war, but supporters of Mr Feith say his reports never pretended to be intelligence assessments.

They stress that the inspector general found no evidence of illegal or unauthorised activity.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/070209ig_sumary.pdf
Review of Pre-Iraqi War Activities:Executive Summary