Former Ambassador Joe Wilson discussed the Niger/Iraq uranium deals in an interview with author Craig Unger in September 2006. “…Wilson personally knew Wissam al-Zahawie, the Iraqi ambassador to the Vatican, whose visit to Niger had raised suspicions. ‘Wissam al-Zahawie was a world-class opera singer, and he went to the Vatican as his last post so he could be near the great European opera houses in Rome,’ said Wilson. ‘He was not in the Ba’athist inner circle. He was not in Saddam’s tribe. The idea that he would be entrusted with this super-secret mission to buy 500 tons of uranium from Niger is out of the question.’ ” [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Craig Unger, The Fall of the House of Bush, Page 240-241