Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: Three injured reported in explosion.
Israeli media citing occupation police: Preliminary reports of car bomb in Jaffa, ambulances rushing to vicinity.
Israeli media: One soldier killed, 11 wounded during the security incident in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, and the fate of the 4 soldiers remains unknown
Israeli media: IOF withdraw from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood
Israeli media: Face-to-face clashes with machine guns between Hamas and Israeli forces in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City
Israeli media: Helicopters sent to evacuate troops from Al-Zaytoun are under heavy fire
Israeli media: A new security incident at an additional location in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City
Israeli media: Search for 4 missing soldiers in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
Israeli media platform: In the second incident, two injured people were transported from Gaza, and we are awaiting the authorities to notify the families to provide additional details shortly
Israeli media platform: 3 security incidents reported in Gaza

Iraq WMDs lies echo a culture of US intelligence failures

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 23 Mar 2023 10:38
4 Min Read

20 years on, the lies made regarding Iraq's biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons programs, which were deliberately referenced to increase support for the war in US and abroad, permanently damaged the credibility of US intelligence.

  • x
  • A US occupation soldier kicks a home in Baghdad, traumatizing a dad and his son on November 4, 2008. (Reuters)
    A US occupation soldier kicks a home in Baghdad, traumatizing a dad and his son in 2008. (Reuters)

Not all Americans have forgotten about the atrocities committed by US-led occupation forces in Iraq since the invasion of 2003, as the repercussions of the US war crimes and other serious violations of international law in Iraq continue to be an unavoidable part of Iraqis' daily life. 

Rep. Jason Crow who was a 24-year-old platoon leader in the American invasion of Iraq is still haunted by the terrible atrocities the US veterans committed during the occupation of Iraq and the WMD lies that triggered it, as per AP's report marking the 20-years anniversary of the US invasion and later occupation of Iraq.

A generation of intelligence professionals, policymakers, and American espionage organizations have all been profoundly scarred by the stigmas of the Iraq War. They were essential in the US intelligence community's significant reorganization, which resulted in the CIA losing its supervisory position over other spy agencies.

The lies made regarding Iraq's biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons programs, which were frequently referenced to increase support for the war in America and abroad, permanently damaged the credibility of US intelligence.

Meanwhile, trauma persists for most Iraqis as 20% of people had had at least one murdered individual in their household as a result of the US occupation of their country, as per a survey conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB). The same survey revealed that more than one million Iraqis were killed or displaced and thousands of Americans died or were wounded as a result of the war on Iraq.

According to a recent survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only 18% of American adults say they have a great deal of confidence in the government's intelligence services. 49% report having "some" confidence, while 31%  have little to no confidence.

The primary assertion that sparked the war [Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and represented an imminent threat to the US and its allies] was quickly debunked at the beginning of the US invasion. Stockpiles weren't found. Further analyses have attributed their claims to inaccurate data, outmoded presumptions, a combination of uneducated sources, and outright fabrication.

On this day, 20 years ago, #US forces started to bomb #Iraq signaling the launch of their invasion of the country. Millions of Iraqis suffered from the ruthless violence of US forces, notably in the infamous #AbuGhreib prison. pic.twitter.com/UA4MWduXpp

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 19, 2023

Related News

Kurdistan's Lahur Sheikh Jangi arrested in Sulaymaniyah after clashes

Al-Fayyad: PMF is a sovereign Iraqi defense force

Massive intelligence failures

Prior to the war, both Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell misrepresented American intelligence assessments in historic speeches before the UN in February 2002.

“He said he’d go to his grave with the manacles of Iraq,” said retired Col. Larry Wilkerson, who was then Powell’s chief of staff and later became a high-profile critic of the Bush administration. Powell passed away in 2021.

George W. Bush had a Freudian slip during an event in #Dallas, but he wasn't wrong after all: The invasion of #Iraq he ordered was truly brutal and unjustified.#GeorgeWBush pic.twitter.com/LjsAD3I7G7

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 19, 2022

A White House spokesperson said, as quoted by The Washington Post in 2006, that Bush “made his decision to go to war in Iraq based on the intelligence given to him by the intelligence community.”

Former intelligence personnel contended that the Bush administration exaggerated evidence to support the case for war, notably over claims of connections between Iraq and Al-Qaeda.

Two years ago, US intelligence incorrectly predicted that the Kabul-based administration, which Washington supports, would continue operating for several months following the withdrawal of American forces.

“We’ve lived with the ghosts of Iraq for two decades and it’s impacted our credibility,” Crow said.

In short, high-profile failures continue to define US intelligence notably from the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan to the catastrophic projections in Ukraine.

Read next: Job of US Marine corps was killing people: Iraq War veterans speak up

  • Iraq
  • US intelligence
  • US lies
  • WMDs

Most Read

Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks (Photo by Mahdi Rtail)

Tom Barrack's imperial tantrum in Beirut: When entitlement speaks

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025
Although it does seem likely they will launch some kind of operation in northern Gaza, one which will accelerate its mass murder of civilians, but will fail to achieve its stated objectives. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Here is why the Israeli occupation of Gaza won’t work

  • Opinion
  • 26 Aug 2025
A scene showing an al-Qassam Brigades fighter during an ambush on July 7, 2025, in a video released by the al-Qassam Brigades on August 26, 2025 (al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

Al-Qassam reveals Beit Hanoun ambush targeting Israeli forces

  • Politics
  • 26 Aug 2025
Fierce resistance ambushes target IOF in Gaza Strip

Fierce resistance ambushes target IOF in al-Zaytoun, Gaza City

  • Politics
  • Today

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Iran slams E3 snapback bid, backs Russia-China nuclear plan
Politics

Iran slams E3 snapback bid, backs Russia-China nuclear plan

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23, 2022, at the U.N. headquarters. (AP)
Politics

France slams US over Palestinian Authority visa ban to UN summit

IRGC foils Mossad plot, captures 8 in Mashhad
Politics

IRGC foils Mossad plot, captures 8 in Mashhad

Piyush Goyal in an undated photo (Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images)
Politics

India will not 'bow down' to pressure: Trade Minister

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS