Bush sets up Iraq WMD intelligence panel

9.30am

WASHINGTON - Under strong political pressure, President George W Bush established a bipartisan commission to investigate failures in intelligence used to justify the Iraq war and gave it until well after the November election to submit its conclusions.

Bush picked as the chairmen of the commission former Virginia governor and senator Charles Robb, a Democrat, and appeals court judge Laurence Silberman, a Republican.

In a hastily arranged appearance in the White House press briefing room, Bush said the commission will "look at American intelligence capabilities, especially our intelligence about weapons of mass destruction."

Bush noted that former chief US weapons hunter David Kay has not been able to confirm prewar intelligence that Iraq possessed stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.

"We are determined to figure out why," Bush said.

"We're also determined to make sure that American intelligence is as accurate as possible for every challenge in the future," he added.

Bush gave the commission until March 31, 2005, to report back, meaning the results of the investigation would not be known until after the November election. Democrats want the report sooner.

Bush is scrambling to limit the political fallout from Kay's revelations that almost all the prewar intelligence about Iraq's alleged unconventional weapons was wrong.

Claims that Iraq had stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction were the main reason cited by Bush for the Iraq war, in which more than 500 US troops have died.

Bush's job approval ratings have been fading due to a number of factors, including the weapons issue and the fact that Democratic presidential candidates have been hammering away at him. He will appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" for an hour on Sunday in an attempt to fight back.

Bush also announced as members of the group Arizona Republican senator John McCain; Lloyd Cutler, who was White House counsel for former Democratic presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; Yale President Richard Levin; Admiral William Studeman, former deputy director of the CIA, and former appeals court judge Pat Wald.

Two more members are expected to be named.

Democrats have questioned whether the commission can be independent if its nine members are hand-picked by Bush and his team. The White House has ignored their appeals that Congress authorize the commission.

Democrats also want the commission to investigate whether the Bush administration exaggerated the CIA's intelligence to build a case against Iraq.

Bush had initially been cool to the idea of a commission and agreed to it last weekend under pressure from Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Bush made clear in his brief remarks at the White House that he felt the decision to go to war against Iraq was the right decision, regardless of post-invasion intelligence issues.

"In Iraq, America and our coalition enforced the clearly stated demands of the world that a violent regime prove its own disarmament. In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, I will not take risks with the lives and security of the American people by assuming the good will of dictators," he said.

Bush also said the commission will also review US intelligence on weapons programmes in countries such as North Korea and Iran as well as in Libya and Afghanistan. In the Libyan case, US and British officials were surprised at the extent of Libya's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq