Originally Posted by spence
No, it strongly suggests the threat was not as characterized and that sanctions appeared to be working. He didn't just shut things down, the WMD appear to have been destroyed a decade earlier.
"suggests . . .appeared . . . appear"--As I apologized to Buckman, we have hijacked his thread with an old rehash consisting of no proofs, but suggestions, appearances, agendas.
Weak...
Exactly as weak as your disregard of Saya's book.
Kay was referring to WMD parts rather than stockpiles of weapons.
So?
But all this "Saddam was a sneaky bad guy" stuff is really moot. At what point does it justify war? Remember the war? Remember the Saddam -> stockpiles of WMD -> Bin Laden connection that was the justification for a massive and urgent action?
The intent or ability to restart programs if sanctions are lifted Doesn't provide the justification for urgency, in fact it blows a rather large hole in the administrations argument.
Among other "justifications" for war:
Failure to cooperate with arms inspecters
Threat to our security
Had pursued and used WMD
Sponsored terrorists
Ordered his military to shoot at Brit & US pilots patrolling no-fly zone
Had invaded his neighbors
Declared the US an enemy
Refused to comply with more than a dozen UN resolutions including demands that he respect the rights of the Iraqi people, disclose his weapons, abide by cease fire.
The action was not urgent, it took 14 months to start the war. In that time as the Duelfer report states, Saddam was working, EFFECTIVELY, to create an international environment to lift the sanctions. If he had been allowed to succeed, then he would produce the WMDs, and the war would have to take place later with a stronger Saddam with weapons to do immensely worse damage than our troops and Iraquis suffered. Waiting to take Saddam out could only WORSEN the final outcome. Some have argued that we should have gone in SOONER, even immediately, rather than wait the 14 months "diplomacy", which, as it was occurring, some were exactly saying that the diplomatic gap WAS GIVING SADDAM TIME TO HIDE OR REMOVE HIS WMDs. As for evidence that there are traces of an existing program, google the Kenneth Timmerman reference that I mentioned above. And, of course, there is the Saya book.
You don't actually read my posts do you?
-spence
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