Durbin says public was lied to about Iraq
Published: April 27, 2007 at 10:35 AM
WASHINGTON, April 27 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., said on the floor of the Senate that he knew the American public was being misled in the run-up to the war in Iraq.
Durbin said he kept quiet because of his position on the Senate Intelligence Committee, The Washington Times reported.
"The information we had in the Intelligence Committee was not the same information being given to the American people. I couldn't believe it," Durbin said Wednesday.
"I was angry about it. (But) frankly, I couldn't do much about it because, in the Intelligence Committee, we are sworn to secrecy. We can't walk outside the door and say the statement made yesterday by the White House is in direct contradiction to classified information that is being given to this Congress."
The White House said the Congress voted to go to war based on the same intelligence the president had.
"We all understand today that there were intelligence failures but there was no effort to mislead either members of Congress or the American people," White House spokesman Tony Fratto told the Times reported.
A congressional official familiar with Iraq intelligence presented to the committee said it was no different than what was said publicly, the Times said.
Durbin said he kept quiet because of his position on the Senate Intelligence Committee, The Washington Times reported.
"The information we had in the Intelligence Committee was not the same information being given to the American people. I couldn't believe it," Durbin said Wednesday.
"I was angry about it. (But) frankly, I couldn't do much about it because, in the Intelligence Committee, we are sworn to secrecy. We can't walk outside the door and say the statement made yesterday by the White House is in direct contradiction to classified information that is being given to this Congress."
The White House said the Congress voted to go to war based on the same intelligence the president had.
"We all understand today that there were intelligence failures but there was no effort to mislead either members of Congress or the American people," White House spokesman Tony Fratto told the Times reported.
A congressional official familiar with Iraq intelligence presented to the committee said it was no different than what was said publicly, the Times said.
© 2007 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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