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Statement of Senator Ron Wyden
on the Senate’s Closed Session on Intelligence Matters

November 1, 2005

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today released the following statement on the movement of the Senate to closed session to consider unanswered intelligence questions:

“Last year, the Senate Intelligence Committee, on which I serve, promised to find the answers the American people have a right to know about this nation’s march to an ill-advised war – a war I voted against. More than a year and a half after that promise was made, phase II of the Committee’s report on pre-war intelligence still has not been delivered – only a parade of excuses. This is a serious failure to meet the oversight duties of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

“The American people have a right to know what sort of planning was done or not done for a post-invasion occupation in Iraq. They have a right to know how heavily our intelligence agencies relied on tips from shady characters like Ahmed Chalabi. People have a right to know whether their government officials exaggerated facts in order to lead this nation to war.

“The work of the Intelligence Committee to produce these answers for the American people has essentially ground to a halt. I agree that it is time for the rest of the Senate to stop, step in, and insist that the Committee do its duty.”

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