Hearing of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee

September 13, 2004 Monday

HEADLINE: HEARING OF THE SENATE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

SUBJECT: INTELLIGENCE, HOMELAND DEFENSE AND MILITARY OPERATIONS

CHAIRED BY: SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME)

WITNESSES: SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL; DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY TOM RIDGE

LOCATION: 216 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.
SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D-IL): Thank you, Madame Chair and Senator Lieberman, for this hearing. Secretary Powell, Secretary Ridge, thank you for your service to our nation, and thank you for being here today.

Secretary Powell, I'm a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, as several are on this panel. Prior to the invasion of Iraq, I listened carefully to day after day of information being given in that Intelligence Committee, with a growing degree of skepticism. The hyperbolic statements about the threat to America, both public and private, the slam-dunk certainty about weapons of mass destruction, I took with growing skepticism and ultimately voted against the use-of- force resolution.

There was one moment that shook my confidence in my position, and that's when you appeared before the United Nations, and it's because of my respect for you. And I thought, if Colin Powell is convinced, maybe you ought to think about this again.

Now, Senator Levin has raised the question about your discerning judgment in what you said before the United Nations. But I think in reflection-I hope I'm saying this accurately-that, looking back in the testimony in light of the reality-the failure to find any evidence of weapons of mass destruction or a nuclear program, as was described-that you were not given good intelligence. And I think the bottom line to all that we're about here, as Senator Collins and Senator Levin have talked about, is whether or not making changes, pursuing the 9/11 commission goals, will lead to better intelligence, our first line of defense in the war on terrorism.

We talk a lot about the wiring diagrams and the boxes and the charts, and whether we're changing e-mail addresses and spaces and faces. What is it about the reforms that you have read that lead you to believe that either you or some future secretary of State will not be put in the same compromising position, being given intelligence data-to tell the world and America in preparation for a war - that turns out to be at least fragmented and perhaps just plain wrong?

BREAK IN TEXT
SEN. DURBIN: No, it was an excellent answer, and it leads to about a dozen follow-up questions which I'm going to have to wait -- (chuckles) -- for.

Thank you, Madame Chair.