Well, George Tenet shouldn't feel alone. I remember the last ISG report there was this part that I remembered reading.
Senior military officers and former Regime officials were uncertain about the existence of WMD during the sanctions period and the lead up to Operation Iraqi Freedom because Saddam sent mixed messages. Early on, Saddam sought to foster the impression with his generals that Iraq could resist a Coalition ground attack using WMD. Then, in a series of meetings in late 2002, Saddam appears to have reversed course and advised various groups of senior officers and officials that Iraq in fact did not have WMD. His admissions persuaded top commanders that they really would have to fight the United States without recourse to WMD. In March 2003, Saddam created further confusion when he implied to his ministers and senior officers that he had some kind of secret weapon.
- Prior to December 2002, Saddam told his generals to concentrate on their jobs and leave the rest to him, because he had something in his hand (i.e. something up his sleeve), according to Minister of Military Industrialization Abd-al-Tawab Abdallah Al Mullah Huwaysh.
- Saddam surprised his generals when he informed them he had no WMD in December 2002 because his boasting had led many to believe Iraq had some hidden capability, according to Tariq Aziz. Saddam had never suggested to them that Iraq lacked WMD. Military morale dropped rapidly when he told senior officers they would have to fight the United States without WMD.
- Saddam spoke at several meetings, including those of the joint RCC-Bath National Command and the ministerial council, and with military commanders in late 2002, explicitly to notify them Iraq had no WMD, according to the former presidential secretary. Saddam called upon other senior officials to corroborate what he was saying.
- In Saddams last ministers meeting, convened in late March 2003 just before the war began, he told the attendees at least three times, resist one week and after that I will take over. They took this to mean he had some kind of secret weapon. There are indications that what Saddam actually had in mind was some form of insurgency against the coalition.
I am fairy sure that Iraq started 2002 with WMDs. What happened to them between 2002 and 2003, my guess is they were shipped out of the country. It looked like to me, there was no one more surprised than Saddams generals who would have to fight that war.... after being so badly beaten just a few years before.
"I am fairy sure that Iraq started 2002 with WMDs. What happened to them between 2002 and 2003, my guess is they were shipped out of the country. It looked like to me, there was no one more surprised than Saddams generals who would have to fight that war.... after being so badly beaten just a few years before."
Lots of info here in posts and links.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1782982/posts