WASHINGTON, July 16 (UPI) -- President George Bush and the CIA heightened their differences over intelligence Tuesday, Knight-Ridder reported.
In a new dispute over interpreting intelligence data, the CIA and other agencies objected vigorously to a Bush administration assessment of the threat of Syria's weapons of mass destruction that was to be presented Tuesday.
After the objections, the planned testimony by Undersecretary of State John Bolton, a leading administration hawk, was delayed until September.
U.S. officials told Knight-Ridder Bolton was prepared to tell members of a House International Relations subcommittee Syria's development of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons had progressed to such a point that they posed a threat to stability in the region.
The CIA and other intelligence agencies said that assessment was exaggerated.
Syria has come under increasing U.S. pressure during and after the Iraq war for allegedly giving refuge to members of Saddam Hussein's regime.
