Re-evaluating Weapons of Mass Destruction

[rcecale]

"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line."
- President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998

"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."
- President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998

"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."
- Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998

"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983."
- Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998

"We urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S.Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if Appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs."
- Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin,
Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998

"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."
- Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998

"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."
- Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999

"There is no doubt that ... Saddam Hussein has invigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies."
- Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, December 5, 2001

"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandated of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them."
- Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."
- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."
- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains 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 capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..."
- Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force-- if necessary-- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security."
- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002

"He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do"
- Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct.10, 2002

"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 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."
- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction
So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real"
- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003

AND NOW THE DEMOCRATS SAY PRESIDENT BUSH LIED, THAT THERE NEVER WERE ANY WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND HE TOOK US TO WAR FOR HIS OIL BUDDIES???
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...........................

[CamB]

No, the issue was the "45 mins to deployment", imminent threat. Plus the dodgy intel (and accounting) which suggested that there were huge stocks of WMD fixings unaccounted for.

Also read this link on Snopes, a lot of this is taken at least slightly out of context.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/wmdquotes.asp

[nostatic]

this reminds me of the Simpson's episode where Homer is accused of fondling the babysitter. When he's interviewed on TV, they manipulate the video to make it sound like he did it.

Context is everything...

But if you take the above post from me and rearrange it, it proves I'm a right-wing conservative just trying to throw you guys of the trail of the truth...

[island911]

Originally posted by nostatic
I'm a right-wing conservative.

I'm glad you've come around. Now what's this "Context" you speak of?

Okay, seriously; you lib's can NOT spin this away.
Just because Clinton made a half-assed military effort against Saddam does not lead to the conclusion that they (Clintons) thought military action against Saddam was a bad idea.

Even today, Hillary is/has been pro-war in Iraq.

[island911]

It's the current 7 dwarfs who are trying to get traction thru being counter-anything-Bush.

It's the smarter Dem's who know how to read, and react to poll numbers.

Good post, rcecale.

Cam; there ARE 'huge stocks of WMD fixings unaccounted for.'

No one in the UN (including the cheese eating surrender monkeys) ever contested the notion that there were 'huge stocks of WMD fixings unaccounted for.'

It may be an accounting error on the part of the UN guys, but, Saddam historically buried or moved his big weapons.

Which it is, we dont know. (yet) But clearly the counter-anything-Bush crowd is trying to make political hay out of not finding a "smoking WMD gun" (mass graves aren't reason enough)

Yeah, but Boosh is a liar.

including the cheese eating surrender monkeys

funniest effing thing I've read in centuries.....

[CamB]

Maybe, but the cheese eating surrender monkeys wanted to spend more time finding out where they had got to. Chirac (et al) said they would not support armed intervention "at this time" back in March.

Besides, as Blix has recently said (pick a link):

http://news.google.co.nz/news?hl=en&edition=nz&q=blix

They may have been destroyed (hence the "accounting error"). You might dislike the guy, and think he is saying this in a mean spirited effort to score points. At the moment he is right though...

[island911]

Cam, the cheese eating surrender monkeys wanted to do what they could to pacify their large Muslim population. (remember the subway bombings)

Blix has been playing politics since I've been aware of him. (and he's quite good . . I'll give him that) He (Blix) is all about keeping himself alive and employed. (not an easy task, in his business. . .but he is good at it)

[CamB]

I agree about Blix. The man loves the media.

It's not like I'm the only person in the world who thinks Bush and Blair rushed in. Its just that such people are, as one would expect, in the minority on a Porsche BBS! I am a vocal critic of pre-emption, and I'm not entirely alone.

I'm also going to tear myself away from the computer now , and won't be back 'till the 4th. So Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to conservatives and liberals alike. I hope you all have a happy and safe holiday season!

[island911]

I thought Bush made clear that this was prevention, not pre-emption.

It WAS time. . .
I know I was tired of a decade of the US sitting on Saddam; while he took pot-shots at our planes, and looked for ways to screw us.

Anyway, Cam; Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours too.

[Aurel]

I have come to realize that the war on terror should be replaced by the war on attorneys ! They are the one who are causing harm to this country. And I have come to realize that greed and fear are the two major forces moving things here. Call me crazy, but Al Quaeda does not affect me at all. What affect me is insane car insurance rates, bad health insurance. What affects me is not being able to do anything without signing 10 disclaimers, because poeople are paralyzed by the fear of lawsuits. WMDs are little potatoes, and I could not care less about them. There are tons of them being sold by the russian mafia, BTW. Saddam was a little insignificant dictator. If he was not, the fearful USA would never have attacked him. Bush lied, all politicians lie, this is their job.

Aurel

[Aurel]

I forgot plenty of s in my paragraph, I wonder why. Could have spelled things better. Too late...

Aurel

[speeder]

Now, now, Aurel, our president never lies. He's not smart enough to. And we like him just the way that he is, Thank you very much.

And Merry Christmas/Happy Haunika(sp?) to everyone, liberal/conservative, Hemi-driving red-blooded American/surrender monkey, man, woman, child, etc....

[Aurel]

You are right Speeder: Bush did not lie...his advisers lied to him

A merry orange X-Mass to all (Red would have been more seasonal though...maybe next year !)

Aurel

[rcecale]

Originally posted by Aurel
A merry orange X-Mass to all (Red would have been more seasonal though...maybe next year !)

Aurel

As opposed to the "WHITE" Christmas I'm sure they are celebrating in France!

Happy Holidays, everyone...conservative and liberal, warmonger and peacenik alike. It really IS a wonderful world we live in where we can all debate so openly!

Randy

[power]

Nostatic is the only one I know that has had a recent encounter with WMD's, perhaps he could shed more light?

[RickM]

Hey, we found THE "WMD"....we pulled it out of a toilet hole behind a farmhouse.