Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said coalition forces were present in the vicinity of the site both during and after major combat operations, which ended on May 1, 2003. He said they searched the facility but found none of the explosives in question or weapons of mass destruction. "The forces searched 32 bunkers and 87 other buildings at the facility, but found no indicators of WMD," Whitman said Monday.
Kerry is accusing the soldiers of America of being liars and incompetents.
He's well-practiced.
BINGO! You nailed it, JC...this is the approach W should take in refuting this one. Is Kerry calling our soldiers names again?
Wish someone would ask Kerry that question.
"The brave soldiers of the 101st Airborne snatched the facility and turned it upside down looking for WMDs. They found no trace of the explosives that the IAEA had placed under seal. Unfortunately, because of delays in trying to persuade the UN, France, and other nations to get on board and stop the madman Saddam, it looks like Saddam managed to get the stuff out, probably to Syria, before we could stop him.
"Now that's according to the reports I received from the honorable men of the 101st who put their lives squarely on the line to secure that facility. Apparently my opponent doesn't believe those good soldiers. He says the operation was botched and that their reports are false. I'm appalled that he would stoop so low as to accuse the soldiers of the 101st Airborne of incompetence and dishonesty--appalled, but not surprised. He bashed our soldiers in 1971, calling them war criminals and accusing them of all kinds of outrageous misconduct.
"It's easy to see why he's doing it. It launched his political career then, and I suppose he believes it will salvage his presidential ambitions today. I pray to God, not for myself, but for our men and women in uniform that he doesn't become commander-in-chief by such despicable means."