CIA trained Iraqi paramilitaries to create pre-war unrest: report

Two thoughts on this, was this just an atempt at regime change witout U.S. troops, or was this a pre-war move? I think that Bushco had decided to go to war very early in his first term and this was part of the pre-war action.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Before the start of the US-led war in
Iraq in March 2003, the
CIA reportedly recruited and trained a paramilitary group named the Scorpions to foment rebellion.

Authorized by President George W. Bush in March 2002 as part of a policy of "regime change" in Iraq, the Scorpions were made made up mostly of exiles recruited by the Kurds who were sent to Iraqi cities including Baghdad, Fallujah and Qaim to give the impression that a rebellion was under way, current and former US intelligence officials told The Washington Post.

Trained with millions of dollars to conduct light sabotage, the covert unit was even given former Soviet Hind helicopters, but most of its missions were delayed and it ended up merely "sowing confusion", by painting graffiti on walls or cutting electricity.

Semper Fi