Graham Claims Iraq Plan Preceded Terror War
By William C. Mann
September 6, 2004 "Associated Press" -- WASHINGTON -- A former Senate Intelligence Committee chairman asserted Sunday that the general who ran the war in Afghanistan said more than a year before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that his resources were being shifted in preparation for taking on Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., contends that just months into combat in Afghanistan, Gen. Tommy Franks also told him that fighting terrorism in Somalia, Yemen and elsewhere should take priority over invading Iraq.
Graham said Franks told him he thought the United States knew less about the situation in Iraq than did some European governments, and the White House should ask them for advice.
The senator, who is retiring at year's end, said his conversation with the now-retired general came in February 2002, when Graham was chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Graham also alleges in his new book, "Intelligence Matters," that the White House stood in the way of congressional investigators who wanted to look into purported ties between the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers and Saudi officials.
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry called for an independent probe of the allegation, saying that if the White House blocked the congressional investigation, then "this would be a massive abuse of power."
The Bush-Cheney campaign responded to Kerry, saying, "John Kerry is flailing about making baseless attacks founded on the assertions of a failed presidential candidate."
Franks could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Copyright: AP.
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