Hot (Uranium) Potato

Today... (from Yahoo)

The CIA approved in advance President Bush's accusation in a speech that Iraq had sought to acquire nuclear material from Africa, U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said on Friday.

Now, before you cynics cry that the Bush administration is trying to pass the blame for this, I'd like to point out that Condi's statement is absolutely true.

From CBS.com:

CIA officials warned members of the president’s National Security Council staff the intelligence was not good enough to make the flat statement Iraq tried to buy uranium from Africa, sources tell CBS News.

The White House officials responded that the September paper issued by the British government contained the unequivocal assertion: "Iraq has ... sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."

As long as the statement was attributed to British Intelligence, the White House officials argued, it would be factually accurate. The CIA officials dropped their objections and that's how the charge was delivered.

See? The CIA did approve it. Here's another way of looking at the situation:

(Outside a crowded Manhattan nightclub)
CLUB OWNER: "Hi Jerry."
BOUNCER: [unlatches velvet rope] "Hello sir. Come on...um, who's that with you?"
CLUB OWNER: "It's my sister's kid, Willie. Or Billy. Something like that."
KID: "I'm never going to wash my armpits. See?"
BOUNCER: "I really can't let him in here. If the police catch us..."
CLUB OWNER: "He looks at least 21."
KID: "Fart man! Da da da da da da, da da da da da da. Fart man!"
BOUNCER: "Um..."
CLUB OWNER: "Look. Hey you. How old does he look to you?"
DRUNKEN BRITISH GIRL LEANING ON POLE TO SUPPORT HIMSELF: "35, guv'ner! But his twin looks 62!"
CLUB OWNER: "See? If the police catch him, just say that she told you he was legal. Come on Willie."
KID: "The Skank Pokemon will be mine!"
[OWNER + KID push past bouncer into club. BRITISH GIRL tips over and falls face down.]
BOUNCER: [sigh] "At least he'll take the fall if he gets caught."

If you want more info on the situation, TPM is the place to go.