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The French secret service is believed to have refused to allow Britain's MI6 to give the United States "credible" intelligence showing that Iraq was trying to buy uranium ore from Niger, U.S. intelligence sources said yesterday.
Britain's Secret Intelligence Service had more than one "different and credible" piece of intelligence to show that Iraq was attempting to buy the ore, known as yellowcake, British officials insisted. But it was given to them by at least one and possibly two intelligence services and, under the rules governing cooperation, it could not be shared with anyone else without the originator's permission.
U.S. intelligence sources believe the most likely source of the MI6 intelligence was the French secret service, the DGSE. Niger is a former French colony, and its uranium mines are run by a French company that comes under the control of the French Atomic Energy Commission.
There's more. Who knows, maybe it's true. An amusing possibility, n'est-ce past? Attention all Bushies and Bill O'Reilly, who is always reminding as he's an independent; be careful which old friend's eyes you stick your fingers into, you never know when you might need the friends and their eyes again.
Speaking of which, check out how easy it's not going to be, after having shrugged off most of the rest of the world, to get Nato into Iraq.
UPDATE: pie points out what I should have, the notable absence from the article of any hint that such a person as Amb Joseph Wilson exists.
Jessie has a complimentary post up at Pandagon, which you should be reading on a regular basis in any case.