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.

[Grampa Dave]

I miss Baghdad Bob. I hope to see him on tv on some failing cable net doing his thing!

[3D-JOY]

It was gone!

Care to clean it up and fill us in?

[Grampa Dave]

The link to my reply to your rope a dope thread.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/898981/posts?page=27#27

[Poohbah]

Something about the good folk of FR being "ducking Nazis" or something to that effect...

[Yardstick]

*Bump* for a point well made.

[Petronski]

[Consort]

Pre-emptiom works.

[JoeSchem]

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

This is a great deal different than the Administration saying Saddam never had WMD in the first place. Only a leftist would pretend that the two statements are the same.

[3D-JOY]

Oh, I did slide past that.

"What do you expect from a nazi?" Plus or minus some words!

I seem to not see the words I don't want to.

Perhaps that is why I am so convinced that Bush is good for America at this time. I can not understand people who disagree.

[mrb1960]

Now that's interesting, why do you think that happened??

</sarcasm off>

[visualops]

Not a mole, but counting on her/them to leak. I think this would only work with Hitlery once or twice and she'd catch on. However, given that they truly believe Bush is an idiot, maybe they do not believe him capable of that sort of strategery. I believe the Bush administration knows exactly who leaks, and play it accordingly. After the major cow Bush had about leaks early on, I have no doubt the loyal keep their mouths shut.

[Maigrey]

Did someone say Viking Kitties?

[alnick]

Oh come on. The second paragraph in this article proves the headline to be a lie. To say that SH destroyed or moved the weapons before the war is not to admit that they were not there. How could they be moved or destroyed if they were not there in the first place?

[diamond6]

Yes, I did. What does -D mean?

[IncPen]

The first indication that I had that the media had totally misunderstood GW was during the 2000 campaign

The 'democRAT' ad was airing in some backwater market and it was leaked to a network news operation as 'right-wing extremism'.

The networks dutifully played the ad in its entirety repeatedly ensuring that millions who otherwise would never have seen it did in fact see it. And it cost the Bush campaign exactly nothing.

I still get a kick out of that, and to this day I don't think the communists in the media know they got played

[Grampa Dave]

They ran that ad several times each night on ABCNNBCBS. The rat part was clear, and it didn't cost GW or the Repubies a single penny like you said.

They ran it one time while my older son and I were watching, and we broke out laughing. Our women had no idea of why we were laughing as they were upset. The next time it ran we muted the sound. Then they understood.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" Remember when the Da$$hole got up and exposed himself.."

Sharpton is slapping the donkey and now this.

[Grampa Dave]

Well, you have a great handle on what the libs are like. So this shouldn't surprise you.

Where have you been? I haven't seen much from you in months.

[bart99]

I think Deep Throat was a real individual, and there's a good case for Al Haig being the culprit. "

---

Actually, there was a good news story/editorial (not sure which) that I read recently where two people (or a journalism class?) did an intevtigation on their own..... came up with only two possiblities..... and through documents and 'knowledge' of each, determined deep throat was a staffer working undr John Dean. It actually made sense to me.
Don't know if it's true..... guess none of us will..... til the person dies. *shrug*