C
couchcommander
Guest
Couchcommander, I'm calling BS, you refute all the above points with one word...'wrong'.
... I was under the impression it was commonly held knowledge... but anywho
I'll see you're sources, and raise you a few..

(Just telling me where to look is good enough, thanks Centurian1985)
Balloon filling trucks:Centurian1985 said:Quote: In the late 1990s, had several mobile biological weapons labs. These are designed to produce germ warfare agents, and can be moved from place to a place to evade inspectors;
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,973012,00.html
Quote: He pursued chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, even while inspectors were in his country.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/06/iraq.wmd.report/
"Saddam Hussein did not possess stockpiles of illicit weapons at the time of the U.S. invasion in March 2003 and had not begun any program to produce them, a CIA report concludes."
This is THE official, US government sponsored, report as a result of the ISG investigation in Iraq.
It goes on...
"The U.S. official said he believes Saddam decided to give up his weapons in 1991, but tried to conceal his nuclear and biological programs for as long as possible. Then in 1995, when his son-in-law Hussain Kamal defected with information about the programs, he gave those up, too."
The report goes on to say that Saddam Hussein would have, maybe, started a program again, had the sanctions been lifted.... reminder this is the same CIA that said he had them in the first place.
Quote: Year after year, Saddam Hussein has gone to elaborate lengths, spent enormous sums, taken great risks to build and keep weapons of mass destruction
See above.
..and (edit, found what I was looking for) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7634313/
"In his final word, the CIA’s top weapons inspector in Iraq said Monday that the hunt for weapons of mass destruction has “gone as far as feasible” and has found nothing, closing an investigation into the purported programs of Saddam Hussein that were used to justify the 2003 invasion."
Another, offical, US government sponsored report.
Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised.
From the Downing Street Memo:
"Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."
There was indeed doubt, and Bush knew it.
http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/memos.html
..and (edit addition, as I found what I was looking for):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3890961.stm
"The evidence of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction was indeed less certain and less well-founded than was stated at the time," Mr Blair said"
This is in response to the official British report into pre-war intelligence handling.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/iraq/bal-te.iraq29nov29,0,7541577.story?coll=bal-iraq-storyutilConfusion: What are you refering to? What medication?
This story is actually pre-war
"The al-Dawrah plant, which Iraq says is used for making animal vaccines, produced deadly botulinum toxins in the 1980s, earlier United Nations inspections determined. British intelligence officials say they suspect anthrax was also developed at the site."
It was later confirmed... animal vaccines (though indeed it had previously been used for biological weapons)
But is it a lie? A lie is when you say something that you know to be untrue, and Bush probably thought this was true. If Bush really thought this was true then he's only unbalanced. So there's your choice, was he lying or unbalanced? But dont worry, the truth is out there...somewhere..
It's beginning to emerge, ie with the downing street memo, that he knew what was going on.
There you go! A whole lot of conjecture and hopeful speculation, possibly (we don't know yet) purposeful manipulation of the facts... all wrong.
Cheers!
*edit*
I just saw the challenge re: the plan.
.... to stir the hornets nest... or to not stir the nest... ah what the hell...
What would I have done? Well are far are we going back?
...I wouldn't have supported a tyrannical dictatoriship in the 80's to begin with.....
But assuming we already fucked that up, and it's Feburary, 2003...containment. Restrict the flow of people and goods to those which are required for the nation to provide food, shelter, and medical resources. It's the same policy I would use towards NK, towards Iran, towards Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Somalia, Vietnam, Sudan, Myanmar, etc.
Should these countries engage in fresh hostilities, atrocities, or actively try and develop weapons of mass destruction, I would advocate only the level of force required to maintain the status quo. IE destory suspected weapons sites, take out military resources and infrastructure, capture or kill those responsible for atrocities, actively deny any military presence in areas where atrocities are taking place (whether through physical occupation or by airpower..whatever will work). If there is an active rebellion, of course support it with men and materials as long as it agrees to the establishment of a democratic regime (ie Afghanistan) after they are sucessful.
And yea, you're right, it would take a lot longer.
This is all IMHO, however. So I wouldn't take it as fact, it's just what "I" would have done.
*edited a whole bunch for stuff and things... probably should re-read it*