...what I see here are 2 >inside< sources...each telling us there were programs in place...and if the other report is correct, we have internal official documents that verify the statements of these 2 >inside< sources.
It became, then, a self-fulfilling prophecy. Our "defectors" tell us about weapons programs, internal government sources also tell us about them. This is part of vetting intel...multiple unrelated sources describing the same information and programs.
At that point, taking this to the Pres would no longer be considered "stovepiping"...its passing along verified and vetted intelligence. Granted the intel may have been (or >was<) incorrect...but it was information that was not only believed by our intel community...but by host country government as well.
It would be very hard at ANY point, >>>if this is the case<<<, to lay blame on anyone in the US government for making decisions based on this intelligence. For all that Sadam knew, he >had< a nuclear weapons program.