EXCLUSIVE: September 21, 2001 PDB w/ Cheney mark-up

A highly reliable, confidential source has slipped me an excerpted copy of the Presidential Daily Briefing (PDB) from September 21, 2001 -- as it appeared after Vice President Cheney edited it, and prior to it being presented to the President. This is the briefing which was withheld by the White House from the Senate committee investigating the use of pre-war intelligence. Cheney's notes and marks are included here for your perusal.

In particular, I was given the portion of the PDB pertaining to the CIA's attempts to uncover links between Saddam Hussein/Iraq, and the 9-11 perpetrators and al Qaeda.

It is clear from Cheney's notes that the PDB was to be "cleaned up" in accordance with his mark-up prior to presentation to the President. As such, it is unlikely that the President ever saw the PDB in it's original form.

[NOTE: All of Cheney's handwritten notes will appear in bold italic underline. All strikethrougths by the Vice President are as noted.]

Presidential Daily Briefing
September 21, 2001

CIA Report: No Iraq/Saddam links to 9-11 suspects/al Qaeda Retitle as follows... CIA Report: Definite links between 9-11 terrorists/al Qaeda, and Saddam Hussein and Iraq

After a thorough review of all relevant intelligence sources, including our own agents, available foreign service intelligence, worldwide listening posts, electronic eavesdropping, satellite reconnaissance, and an exhaustive compendium of historical intelligence dating to 1985, we conclude that there was absolutely no a deep, ongoing and abiding connection between the government of Saddam Hussein and 9-11 terrorists (led by Mohammed Atta) and the al Qaeda terrorist organization.

Reports of a meeting between 9-11 plot leader, Mohammed Atta, and Iraqi intelligence sources in an Eastern European capitol have proven to be unfounded true. Evidence points to not only a meeting, but, in fact, a dinner at an expensive French restaurant with the tab being charged to the personal MasterCard of Saddam Hussein.

Also, the claim that Iraqi military and chemical and biological weapons experts were training al Qaeda operatives in the use of these weapons is unsupported by intelligence. a well documented fact, supported by reams of evidence including the stated intention of these combined Iraqi/al Qaeda forces to set off a "mushroom cloud" in the United States. In fact, Saddam Hussein's secular government both fears and loathes al Qaeda, and his secret police and military have actively sought out and killed al Qaeda operatives who have ventured into Iraq. Iraqi weapons experts and al Qaeda trainees meet Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings at the Iraqi military facility in Tikrit. They start with a light breakfast including some delicious Iraqi pastries and some some dark, Middle Eastern-style coffee before moving on to bomb-making classes in a sophisticated weapons facility disguised as an abandonded Wal-Mart.

In addition, no information connecting any Iraqi officials -- including Saddam Hussein -- with the attacks of 9-11 was found. There is no evidence of communication between any of the suspected 9-11 terrorists and Iraqi officials, and no evidence of communication between al Qaeda and Iraqi officials. Saddam Hussein placed a personal phone call to Mohammed Atta's cell phone just hours before Atta's plane took off from Boston. The two discussed the Red Sox chances in the playoffs as well as what color socks and belt would be most inconspicuous for Atta's terrorist crew to wear on their flights. Hussein's final words to Atta were, "Who's your Saddy?" to which Atta replied, "Saddam Hussein is my Saddy!"

In conclusion, we find absolutely no shitloads of evidence of a connection between Iraq, Saddam Hussein and Iraqi military and weapons experts, and the 9-11 hijackers, al Qaeda and/or al Qaeda operatives.


VP NOTE: Fix this as per my notes, Tenet. Don't worry about Numbnuts. He believes whatever I tell him to believe. And he's so fucking lazy, you can be sure he will not have read any reports, and, thus, isn't likely to ask any questions. If Powell says anything at all, tell him you heard his kid is in danger of losing the FCC gig. I'll handle Rumsfeld and Rice. She's been instructed to play "mommy" for Numbnuts in case he gets all nervous and bed-wetty about the war thing.

And please don't send me any more of this crap that doesn't back up our Iraq efforts, Tenet. What the fuck is wrong with you? Get yourself some fiction writers over there in Langley. Must be thousands of the bastards available for freelance work. I'm getting pretty goddamned tired of having to rewrite your reports. Am I making myself clear?

-- Dick Cheney

I am sure there is more to this story. I will update this piece and/or write additional pieces should my confidential source provide further information.

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Thanks for reading.