# Does Perle Have Access to Better Intelligence Than the CIA? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 9, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265 "2003-07-09T16:33:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/1 "2003-07-09T16:33:12Z")
Not to be too **Reeder** esque, but… > [@](#): > > [Iraqi Who Might Have Met With 9/11 Hijacker Is Captured](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30323-2003Jul9.html) > \*By Vernon Loeb and John Mintz > Washington Post Staff Writers > Wednesday, July 9, 2003; Page A11 \* > > Richard Perle, a member of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board who has contended al Qaeda and Iraq are linked, said he is hopeful al-Ani’s capture will lead to a corroboration of his stance. > > **"Of course, a lot depends on who is doing the interrogating," said Perle, adding he fears that if it were the CIA, it could skew the interrogation so as to play down evidence that the alleged meeting with Atta occurred.** > > - © 2003 The Washington Post Company\* The CIA response? > [@](#): > > CIA spokesman Bill Harlow described Perle’s charge as “absurd.” > > “His comments do a disservice to all the men and women of the CIA who every day call it as they see it, not as some wish it to be,” Harlow said. > **"We’re open to the possibility that they met, but we need to be presented with something more than Mr. Perle’s suspicions** ," the official said. “Rather than us being predisposed, it sounds like he is. He’s just shopping around for an interrogator who will cook the books to his liking.” Does Richard Perle have access to better intelligence than the CIA? If so, why hasn’t he shared these sources w/ the CIA? How does he get off making this kind of comment? Did he ever get past the national security objection to his deal to sell control of the federal government’s and Army’s telephone system to the Chinese intelligence agancy? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/2 "2003-07-09T17:14:11Z")
I’m impressed that an official CIA spokesman is so willing to denounce a White House official in an official way. Have they ever before felt so strongly about an issue? What’s all this about China and the telephone system? Got a link (and a new thread) for us? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/3 "2003-07-09T17:30:20Z")
Perle isn’t exactly a White House official. He’s a member of the Defense Advisoty Board. He is influential though. A link to an attempt to sell the phone system that both the [Fed Gov](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29326-2003Mar25.html) and [**US military**](http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030327-071406-2705r)(!) use to the Chinese military. > [@](#): > > [Perle] has been retained by Global Crossing to help ensure that Hutchison Whampoa, widely regarded by his fellow hawks as a front for China’s People’s Liberation Army, can buy a majority share in the bankrupt telecommunications company. [link](http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/EC25Ad04.html) > [@](#): > > Hutchison Whampoa, is controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing. He and his empire, according to the Miami Herald, are linked to several companies known as fronts for Chinese military and intelligence agencies. One of the companies has been indicted for smuggling automatic weapons into the United States for sale to Los Angeles street gangs, the paper reported and "Li himself has been accused of helping to finance several deals in which military technology was transferred from American companies to the Chinese Army."[link](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29326-2003Mar25.html) > [@](#): > > The Hong Kong tycoon’s ties with China have sometimes been criticized. James Courter, chief executive of IDT Corp., said this week US government officials are concerned about “communist” influence on Global Crossing Ltd, a bankrupt communications network operator that Hutchison and Singapore Technologies Telemedia Pte agreed to buy. > Hutchison, which controls ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, also drew fire in 1999 from then-US Senate Majority leader Trent Lott, who alleged the company had links to the Chinese military. Hutchison dismissed the allegations. [link](http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2003/03/03/196623) He was recorded in 1970 sharing classified information with Israel. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/4 "2003-07-09T17:44:50Z")
Please. We heard all that, from the usual hysterical RW commentators, when Hutchison Whampoa got the contract to run the ports in Panama. It’s a Hong Kong company, which can hardly _avoid_ doing substantial business with and in the PRC. Your cites are warmed-over repetitions of the same “concerns” and “allegations” from back then. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/5 "2003-07-09T17:56:19Z")
RW? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/6 "2003-07-09T18:39:25Z")
Apparently, there are only two posts in the entire GD about Whampoa. The FBI and the Pentagon have reason to believe thatthe sale of Global Crossing represents an unacceptable national security risk. I don’t see evidence anywhere that the FBI’s reservations are unfounded. Do you have any? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/7 "2003-07-10T08:16:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > I’m impressed that an official CIA spokesman is so willing to denounce a White House official in an official way. Have they ever before felt so strongly about an issue? I’m sure the CIA is deeply in love with Perle insofar as his bullshit analyses of Iraq and the region helped get (a) the CIA into the sticky wicket in re the intel fuckups with Iraq (they get blamed for higher up skewing) and (b) the general morass that is Iraq. Now he comes out impuging their credibility? Adds insult to injury. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/8 "2003-07-10T11:38:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > \*\*Please. We heard all that, from the usual hysterical RW commentators, when Hutchison Whampoa got the contract to run the ports in Panama. It’s a Hong Kong company, which can hardly _avoid_ doing substantial business with and in the PRC. Your cites are warmed-over repetitions of the same “concerns” and “allegations” from back then. \*\* **Elvis**? Defending Perle? I’ve read this about ten times now. I’m still confused. Have I entered another dimension where everything is opposite? Am I me? What’s going on? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/9 "2003-07-10T12:01:48Z")
Check for pods. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/10 "2003-07-10T12:14:47Z")
**Neurotik** , notice the OP poster’s sudden change in topic from Iraq intelligence to a telephone contract. I did suggest a new thread, though. No defense of Perle from me - and he effectively _is_ a White House official, seems to me. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/11 "2003-07-10T12:25:10Z")
I don’t know the full stories but how come a man, that has tried to sell national security to foreign states, is on the Defense Advisory Board? Instead of tried for treason??? I’m sure there’s a logical explanation somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Publius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@Publius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Publius)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/12 "2003-07-10T22:18:58Z")
Perle may not appreciate the (wonderful, imo) work of the CIA, but he certainly seems to appreciate the work that goes into CYA. ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/13 "2003-07-11T13:50:33Z")
is it really news that the different intelligence organizations of the US government all hate each other? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-perle-have-access-to-better-intelligence-than-the-cia/187265/14 "2003-07-11T13:57:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by refusal \* > \*\*is it really news that the different intelligence organizations of the US government all hate each other? \*\* The Defense Policy Board isn’t really an intelligence agency. Not in the same way that the CIA, DIA et al are. What I thought was particularly noteworthy was that Perle is still trying to sell the idea that Iraq was involved with 9-11 despite the dearth of evidence and the plethora of professional opinions if the intel community. The former chairman of what is, (for this admin anyway), a very influential body is insistent on trying to sell bad intel for foreign policy purposes. There’re reasons why the appellation Prince of Darkness stuck to Perle.