Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Chairman, and Senator Jay Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Vice Chairman, of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today announced their joint commitment to continue the Committees's thorough review of U.S. intelligence on the existence of and the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, Iraq's ties to terrorist groups, Saddam Hussein's threat to stability and security in the region, and his violations of human rights including the actual use of weapons of mass destruction against his own people.

Senator Roberts and Senator Rockefeller joined in saying that "The Committee will continue to examine –

the quantity and quality of U.S. intelligence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction programs, ties to terrorist groups, Saddam Hussein's threat to stability and security in the region, and his repression of his own people;

the objectivity, reasonableness, independence, and accuracy of the judgments reached by the Intelligence Community;

whether those judgments were properly disseminated to policy makers in the Executive Branch and Congress;

whether any influence was brought to bear on anyone to shape their analysis to support policy objectives; and

other issues we mutually identify in the course of the Committee's review."

Senator Roberts stated that, "In its review, the Committee will endeavor to complete three tasks. First, it will evaluate the quantity and quality of the intelligence underlying prewar assessments of Iraq's WMD capability, its ties to terrorist groups, Saddam's threat to stability and security in the region, and his record of brutalizing his own people. Second, it will determine whether the analytical judgments contained in those assessments were objective, independent, and reasonable. Finally, the Committee will evaluate the accuracy of those assessments by comparing them with the results of the ongoing investigative efforts in Iraq."

Senator Rockefeller stated that "The Committee's inquiry into intelligence on Iraqi WMD ranks among its most important undertakings. In an age when we may again be urged to go to war under the doctrine of preemption, the Nation needs assurance that our Government provides the accurate and unbiased intelligence that is necessary for the Executive Branch and Congress to make sound decisions affecting the national security of the United States."

Senator Roberts and Senator Rockefeller joined in saying that "The Committee will use whatever tools of oversight it deems necessary to complete its work, including, but not limited to, document review and requests, interviews, closed and open hearings, as appropriate, and preparation of findings and recommendations."