United States: 'Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction'

Sunday Herald ^ | May 4, 2003 | Neil Mackay

[Rebecca Silhavy]

The Bush administration has admitted that Saddam Hussein probably had no weapons of mass destruction. Senior officials in the Bush administration have admitted that they would be 'amazed' if weapons of mass destruction (WMD) were found in Iraq.

According to administration sources, Saddam shut down and destroyed large parts of his WMD programmes before the invasion of Iraq.

Ironically, the claims came as US President George Bush yesterday repeatedly justified the war as necessary to remove Iraq's chemical and biological arms which posed a direct threat to America.

Bush claimed: 'Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. We will find them.'

The comments from within the administration will add further weight to attacks on the Blair government by Labour backbenchers that there is no 'smoking gun' and that the war against Iraq -- which centred on claims that Saddam was a risk to Britain, America and the Middle East because of unconventional weapons -- was unjustified.

The senior US official added that America never expected to find a huge arsenal, arguing that the administration was more concerned about the ability of Saddam's scientists -- which he labelled the 'nuclear mujahidin' -- to develop WMDs when the crisis passed.

This represents a clearly dramatic shift in the definition of the Bush doctrine's central tenet -- the pre-emptive strike. Previously, according to Washington, a pre-emptive war could be waged against a hostile country with WMDs in order to protect American security.

Now, however, according to the US official, pre-emptive action is justified against a nation which simply has the ability to develop unconventional weapons.

[Chirodoc]

He might have feared the inspectors might also turn up:
Graves of Mass Interrment
Prisons of Mass torture
Palaces of Mass Debauchery

[piasa]

And just like the leftists that supported Hitler when Communist International and Stalin said it was OK, leftist today supported Saddam Hussein and didn't give a schnit about the many people he murdered.

[Grampa Dave]

Great Question.

This sounds like the oldest lies in the world used by the left wing mediots to cover their lies posing as news.

The famous unnamed sources.

This administration does not talk to the mediots here let alone to this maggot infested POS posing as a newspaper.

Adam AZ's reply is a great way to respond to these clymers.

[cynicom]

Powell?

[mhking]

Get this crap off of FR!

[Krodg]

I don't think that kind of language is allowed here....maybe you thought you were posting at DU...

[Political Junkie Too]

How did this article go from "The Bush administration has admitted..." to "Senior officials in the Bush administration have admitted..." to "According to administration sources..." to "The comments from within the administration will..." to the now singular "The senior US official added..." to "...according to the US official?"

Wow! All the way from "The Bush administration" to "the US official" in one story.

-PJ

[Grampa Dave]

Adam your reply here is a classic one for this outrageous claim by these maggots pretending be reporters with their unnamed sources.

[diamond6]

Well, well. Look what I found on Rebecca's profile:

This account has been banned or suspended. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Okay

[Poohbah]

Happy to oblige you.

[VRWC_minion]

I would be amazed if the liberal press falls for this set up again.

[piasa]

I hope they don't zap her.... I want to challenge the little freak to a debate, if she can express herself with more wit than profanity.

[Poohbah]

Do NOT annoy the Viking Kittens.

[Grampa Dave]

Wow, what a great way to rephrase this non issue.

If Saddam didn't have WMD, then he is stupider than he looked. Why thwart inspections if you have nothing to hide?

You and Adam AZ have done a great job in replying to this.

[Dog Gone]

Now, however, according to the US official, pre-emptive action is justified against a nation which simply has the ability to develop unconventional weapons.

This US official is undoubtedly Jim McDermott.

You leftist loonies can be so entertaining...

[ChefKeith]

I'm still waiting to see some real, genuine, authenticated, machine guns from Waco.

The last I heard they were locked up in the DPS Evidence Vault in Austin and Reno had put a gag order on them.

[piasa]

If the article had been longer it would have evolved into "official in a former administration," and then perhaps there's a remote chance it would have evolved into "reporter's imaginary friend."

[IncPen]

Wait!

This is triangulation!

The liberal media is going to get itself into a lather and then BOOM! the WMD will be revealed

Bush & Co. know where they are...

This is classic Bush trianglation!

[Grampa Dave]

I think that the Admin Moderator has Zotted this wretched little DUer!

We didn't get to play around with her.

She was like a rat that sneaked in amongst some really big and mean dog and squeaked at them. We were just throwing her up in the air to the next freeper.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Who admitted this? It sounds bogus, and if it's not, watch the news for a firing or resignation of a "senior administration official" this week...Bush doesn't treat leaks likely.

I bet it's some lifer in the State Department. Wanna bet?