Posted on 01/28/2005 7:04:31 AM PST by dead
And anyone is paying attention to Ritter because????????? I can not think of any reason personally.
Except that the assumption both of them rest on is false--there were no stockpiles.
There were stockpiles. Get your facts straight.
"Even today, Iraq is not nearly disarmed. Based on highly credible intelligence, UNSCOM [the U.N. weapons inspectors] suspects that Iraq still has biological agents like anthrax, botulinum toxin, and clostridium perfringens in sufficient quantity to fill several dozen bombs and ballistic missile warheads, as well as the means to continue manufacturing these deadly agents. Iraq probably retains several tons of the highly toxic VX substance, as well as sarin nerve gas and mustard gas. This agent is stored in artillery shells, bombs, and ballistic missile warheads. And Iraq retains significant dual-use industrial infrastructure that can be used to rapidly reconstitute large-scale chemical weapons production." -- Ex-Un Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter in 1998
The question was whether or not Iraq had destroyed those stockpiles that they admitted to having. They were obligated under the UN resolutions that ended the first Gulf War to prove that those stockpiles were destroyed. They refused. There is unanimous agreement on this point from Bill Clinton, to Scott Ritter, to Kofi Annan, to George Bush.
Both of those statements by Powell that Ritter cites as untruthful were demonstrably true beyond reasonable doubt.
And his contention that Bush was pushing this lie is only true if you believe that everybody else was knowingly lying about the same thing. Here is just a few examples (there are hundreds more):
"Saddam's goal ... is to achieve the lifting of U.N. sanctions while retaining and enhancing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. We cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed." -- Madeline Albright, 1998
"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capability. Intelligence reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons, but has not yet achieved nuclear capability." -- Robert Byrd, October 2002
"What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use such weapons in the past. Today, a number of evidences may lead to think that, over the past four years, in the absence of international inspectors, this country has continued armament programs." -- Jacques Chirac, October 16, 2002
"The community of nations may see more and more of the very kind of threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to use them or provide them to terrorists. If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow." -- Bill Clinton in 1998
"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security." -- Hillary Clinton, October 10, 2002
Saddam Hussein used the weapons inspection process to specifically create confusion about whether or not he still retained stockpiles of WMD. He was gambling that the coalition arrayed against him would back down because of that lingering threat.
He lost.
You love sticking up for traitors.
1999 AP Flashback: Saddam has offered asylum to Bin Laden
A Litany of Leftist Lies-The truth behind the most common canards of the "Bush Lied" crowd
Al Qaeda videos found in Iraq weapons raid
The Evidence Against Saddam Hussein Continues to Stack Up
Gadhafi: Iraq war may have influenced WMD decision
Horror unearthed from Iraqi mass grave
Intelligence backs claim Iraq tried to buy uranium
Iraq May Have Been 'Far More Dangerous' Than Believed, Kay Tells
Iraq, Bin Laden Planned Saudi Opposition
Iraq Raid Yields Cyanide Linked to Al Qaeda
Iraqi officer in al Qaeda, papers show
Iraqis share graphic tales of regime's torture chambers (Gruesome read)
Iraqis Tell of 11th-Hour Arrests and Torture
Iraqis, Seeking Foes of Saudis, Contacted bin Laden, File Says
Marines Find Cache of Suicide Bomb Vests
Mass Grave of 600 Kuwaiti POW'S found..
Oil for Food: Hussein's Regime Skimmed Billions From Aid Program
Pacifist says 'I was was wrong' - Back from Baghdad, Rev. Ken Joseph now favors liberation of Iraq
Saddam 'diverted aid to bomber families'
Saddam's Ambassador to al Qaeda
Saddam's son beats 12-year-olds who say no to sex: defectors
The Iraq connection - A new British inquiry is showing that Saddam did seek uranium in Africa
UK Newspaper Says Documents Link Bin Laden to Iraq
UN knew of Saddam's oil-for-food thefts: BBC
WMD Breakthrough: Post-Iraq, the world's proliferators are on the run
On a suspended sentence, yes. Nice try. We aren't as stupid as you think we are, and you aren't as smart as you think you are.
check his sign up date.
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Viking Kitty/ZOT ping list!. . .don't be shy.
"The only trouble with this statement is that the "so-called inspections" worked--remember? Saddam had no WMD--both Kay and Duelfer (Bush's hand-picked ISG weapons-hunters) found that Saddam had no stockpiles and no active WMD programs, and hadn't had any since the early 90's--exactly what Ritter, Blix and the rest had been saying all along. This response will probably get me booted, but what the hey." captainnickerson Since Jan 27, 2005
I believe your moment in the sun may be even shorter than Scott Ritter's.
Yep.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.