am not arguing that Iraq has nothing (much less that they never had anything) in terms of WMDs. What I am arguing is that the preponderance of the evidence now strongly suggests that anything they may have was absurdly trivial compared to what they were alleged to have.
Wow. Let's see . . . False Dilemma, From Ignorance, Straw Man
It is none of these things. If you wish to level the accusation, then demonstrate its veracity (as I did with your False Analogy earlier). Explain how that statement is a False Dilemma, Argument from Ignorance, or Straw Man.
I believe I've accurately described the prewar public characterization of Iraq's WMD capability.
Untestability.
That statement is by no stretch of the imagination untestable. One need merely review statements by administration figures and subsequent media accounts. I would initiate the 'test' here:
Iraq's Weapons Of Mass Destruction Programs CIA Report
2003 State Of The Union Address
Vice President Speaks at VFW 103rd National Convention
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell Addresses the U.N. Security Council
Others may decide for themselves whether what's eventually shown to be present remotely approaches what had been alleged prior to the war.
First: Your memory might be faulty.
My memory is not faulty - I remember quite distinctly the allegations and the perceptions which were advanced prior the war. Whatever the case may be, others should feel free to decide the above on the basis of their own memory. My memory is of no consequence. In their own minds, they know of what I speak..
What you "recall" is mostly the Anti-Bush forces' representation of the prewar characterization.
What I recall - as demonstrated - is based in great part on those sources linked above. I would not characterize any of those as "mostly Anti-Bush forces" by any stretch..
Second: the quantity of Saddam's WMD's is the biggest Straw Man in the logical fallacy cornfield. It only takes one. Saddam was supposed to have zero. None. Zilch.UN resolutions said so.
I never stated otherwise. Whatever assumption to the contrary exists nowhere but in your own fevered imagination.
The game was over when the mobile bio weapons lab was found.
I commented on these in another thread. This was my remark:
In my personal assessment (with severely limited information), the two truck-mounted processing units were used for a clandestine biological program at some point or another. In my observation and extrapolation (seeing them on TV and reading publicly disclosed analysis) they were abandoned quite some while ago. I have little doubt that they will be used to bolster the WMD reports, in any event, which Blair stated will be released at some future time.
It would be like searching a meth lab, finding tons of drug processing equipment but no meth...
Indeed, it would. None of my statements were meant to indicate otherwise, as that post from a tangential thread should demonstrate. Any assumption to the contrary exists nowhere except in your own fevered imagination.
The search wasn't a failure. The reason we're so concerned we haven't found the germs and chemicals is that they might have gone across the western border.
Nah. That's BS. The reason the administration is so concerned is because they wish to establish the veracity of the intelligence and the credibility of the war effort. This above may be the reason you're concerned, but that's all it is..
(as I did with your False Analogy earlier)
You are taking it so seriously! Of course it was a false analogy, you . . . .
*sigh* It was a joke.
Untestability.
One need merely review statements by administration figures and subsequent media accounts.
You review them. And quote them. You can link the Encyclopaedia Brittanica if you want, I ain't clickin'. I'm not going to do your work for you.
Oh, and if they said Iraq has x and we find x/10, that doesn't mean the other 9x/10 does not exist. Just remember that the US military found banned (not-necessarily-WMD) weapons that Blix was unable to find in over a year of resumed inspections.
My memory is not faulty - I remember quite distinctly the allegations and the perceptions which were advanced prior the war. Whatever the case may be, others should feel free to decide the above on the basis of their own memory. My memory is of no consequence. In their own minds, they know of what I speak.
How arrogant. "Well, those of us right-thinking people know, and if you don't agree you're just not willing to admit what's there. Wink, wink."
It only takes one [WMD].
I never stated otherwise. Whatever assumption to the contrary exists nowhere but in your own fevered imagination.
Then what are you complaining about? Saddam had a year to hide and destroy anything. You can't possibly expect to find all that Saddam is suspected of having.
The game was over when the mobile bio weapons lab was found.
In my personal assessment
Well, hold the phone right there, QED and all that.
(with severely limited information)
No? Really?
the two truck-mounted processing units were used for a clandestine biological program at some point or another. . . . they were abandoned quite some while ago.
They were illegal in 1991. What were they using them for in 12 years? Bookmobiles?
It is extraordinary to me the cynicism with which you approach the US administration and yet you fail to apply it to the former Baathists.
Any assumption to the contrary exists nowhere except in your own fevered imagination.
Get a new adjective, huh?
The search wasn't a failure. The reason we're so concerned we haven't found the germs and chemicals is that they might have gone across the western border.
Nah. That's BS.
Oh, never mind then. What was I thinking? I mean we all know there were no military objectives. Just PR considerations. And, hey, who cares if Syria has WMDs? Right? Right?