Editing Colin Powell

==On the Iraq War==
"[I]t strikes me as quite odd that these [aluminum] tubes are manufactured to a tolerance that far exceeds U.S. requirements for comparable rockets. Maybe Iraqis just manufacture their conventional weapons to a higher standard than we do, but I don't think so." (2/5/2003, in U.N. presentation)
[http://articles.cnn.com/2003-02-05/us/sprj.irq.powell.transcript.07_1_nuclear-weapons-cadre-of-nuclear-scientists-nuclear-bomb/2?_s=PM:US]

Powell received an INR memo two days earlier directing contradicting this statement:

"Our key remaining concern is the claim that the tubes are manufactured to a tolerance that 'far exceeds US requirements for comparable rockets.' In fact, the most comparable US system is a tactical rocket--the US Mark 66 air-launched 70mm rocket--that uses the same, high-grade (7075-T6) aluminum, and that has specifications with similar tolerances. Note that the Mk 66 specifications are unclassified, and the Department is planning to share them with the IAEA." 2/3/2003 [http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/congress/2004_rpt/iraq-wmd-intell_appendix-b.htm]


Powell's provided translation of an intercepted conversation between Iraqi army officers:

"They're inspecting the ammunition you have, yes.

"Yes.

"For the possibility there are forbidden ammo.

"For the possibility there is by chance forbidden ammo?

"Yes.

"And we sent you a message yesterday to clean out all of the areas, the scrap areas, the abandoned areas. Make sure there is nothing there."

(2/3/2003, presentation to the U.N.) [http://web.archive.org/web/20050204130309/http://www.state.gov/secretary/former/powell/remarks/2003/17300.htm]

However, the incriminating phrases "clean all of the areas" and "make sure there is nothing there" do not appear in the official State Department translation of the exchange, which records the following exchange:

"Lt. Colonel: They are inspecting the ammunition you have.

"Colonel: Yes.

"Lt. Col: For the possibility there are forbidden ammo.

"Colonel: Yes?

"Lt. Colonel: For the possibility there is by chance, forbidden ammo.

"Colonel: Yes.

"Lt. Colonel: And we sent you a message to inspect the scrap areas and the abandoned areas.

"Colonel: Yes."

[http://web.archive.org/web/20030404073844/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/events/secretary/2003/17399.htm]