Bryan R. Gibson has challenged the veracity of Sale and Darwish, citing declassified documents that indicate the CIA was blindsided by the timing of the assassination attempt on Qasim and that the National Security Council "had just reaffirmed nonintervention policy" six days before it occurred.
Bryan R. Gibson meragukan pernyataan Sale dan Darwish dan mengutip dokumen-dokumen rahasia yang menunjukkan bahwa CIA kesulitan menentukan waktu pembunuhan dan Dewan Keamanan Nasional "kembali menegaskan kebijakan nonintervensi" enam hari sebelum waktu pembunuhan.