Rod Barton (right) is an Australian microbiologist who served on the Iraq Survey Group (click here for Charlie Duelfer’s letter of gratitude).
Barton has given an interview to an Australian television program, Four Corners, about his time on the ISG. Much of the coverage in Australia centers on Barton’s participation in interrogations—Prime Minister John Howard had previously denied that Australians were taking part in interrogations.
From an American perspective, Barton’s most interesting claim is that he resigned in March 2004 (read his resignation letter) after the CIA pressued the Iraq Survey Group to “sex up” the interim report by adding eight or nine “nuggets” and omit ISG conclusions that pre-war assessments about aluminum tubes and mobile biological trailers were wrong.
Barton returned to the ISG in September 2004 after, he claims, receiving assurances from Charles Duelfer that the CIA would not pressure the ISG. Barton feels the final report is “honest.”
Finally, Barton notes that many Iraqi scientists are still being held at Camp Cropper, even though the scientists have not committed any crimes under international law and the ISG has closed up shop.
The full text of the interview is available on Four Corners web site created for the interview.