Action behind the scenes in the administration heats up, as the Office of the Vice President in particular becomes concerned about how Joseph Wilson’s trip to Niger might look to the public. Iraqi weapons of mass destruction continue missing, Iraqi petroleum reserves continue to be of interest to the West.
May 29-31, 2003:

May 29, 2003 – Cheney’s Chief of Staff Lewis “Scooter” Libby calls Under Secretary of State Marc Grossman urgently, asking about how and why former ambassador Joseph Wilson was sent to Niger to check out the uranium story. (Libby trial testimony)

May 30, 2003 – Libby’s CIA daily briefer, Craig R. Schmall, faxes the Rumsfeld tasker and response of March 2003 and the Feb 14, 2002 response to Cheney, see earlier, to Libby’s office. The two documents provide a reminder that Cheney and Rumsfeld both inquired about the Niger uranium story early in 2002 and 2003, respectively, although it is not clear how many people in Libby’s office read them.

Same day – The administration announces in a Pentagon briefing that there will be a new operation to seek out weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) says that the new search will represent “a significant expansion” of that work.

Same day – Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld publishes a column in USA Today, “Transition is Just Beginning in Iraq.” The column does not mention WMD but pleads for patience for the task of Iraq reconstruction.

Same day – Several of the largest U.S. oil companies approach the Iraqi Oil Ministry to negotiate for Iraqi oil after U.N. sanctions are lifted.

Same day – British Prime Minister Tony Blair, speaking on a trip to Poland—one of the chief European partners in the ‘Coalition of the Willing’—says he has “absolutely no doubt” that Iraqi weapons of mass destruction will be found.

May 2003 – The first Office of the Inspector General Auditor, Don Bloomer, deploys to Iraq for a three-month tour as part of an Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Management Liaison Cell to assist the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA). Two senior Defense Criminal Investigative Service special agents also deploy to Iraq as part of the Liaison Cell. Seventeen special agents will deploy to Iraq for several months.

May 2003 – The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) is established in Iraq for interim governance, replacing ORHA.

Late May and early June, 2003 – Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman gives oral interim reports to Libby that Joseph Wilson was the ambassador who went to Niger to check out the uranium story. (Grossman’s testimony, Libby trial)