U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

September 8, 2006

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director

                        303-455-7600

Andrew Nannis  – Press Secretary

                        202-224-5852


  Sen. Salazar Urges Continued Examination of Faulty Pre-War Intel/Accuracy & Accountability Key to Making U.S. Stronger

Denver, CO – United States Senator Ken Salazar released the following statement in response to information released by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today confirming that no connection between Iraq and al Qaeda existed before the war began.

“I welcome the information released by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today, which, among other things, confirmed that Iraq had no connection to al Qaeda before the war began. This report is important, and should help us to learn from the serious mistakes made in the lead-up to the war in Iraq. But it is also important to finish the job.

“Several years after this inquiry began, whole sections of this report are still incomplete. I share the frustration felt by many Americans with the slow pace of this effort. As elected representatives of the American people, members of Congress should be unflinching in their willingness to thoroughly examine not only faulty pre-war intelligence assessments, but also the manner in which intelligence was invoked to paint a public picture of clarity even when uncertainty dominated discussions behind the closed doors of the briefing room. Insisting on accuracy and accountability can only make our country stronger.”

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