The New York Times is reporting that Saddam’s WMDs were hastily destroyed before the outbreak of war. Which means that even though we had an idea of what he had and roughly where it was, it may be very difficult to find what remains. The Iraqi source has led US forces to materials that could be used as precursors to chemical weapons agents.
Very few reasonable estimates state that Iraq never really had chemical or biological weapons. Even the UN estimated that literally tons of banned agents were unaccounted for. Even if these agents were destroyed, there will be traces that can be found after the fact. It is only a matter of time before enough evidence is recovered to know the true extent of Iraq’s WMD program.
yeah that does make a lot of sense: saddam destroyed the weapon but didn’t say the U.N, so that when Irak falls, the international community could see that he hadn’t any…great plan!
Is that the only excuse the U.S are going to present for not finding any WMDs?
What a great irony it would be if on the eve of war they would have actually been in compliance with our demands.
It does make quite a bit of sense. At the time the weapons were hidden/destroyed, the Iraqis knew that the Americans were going to go in. The UN had already left. They also knew that if they attempted to use any of their chemical/biological weapons it would justify everything the US had been saying for months.
Given all that, it would be more advantageous to embarrass the US in the long term by destroying as much as they could and burying the rest. Even if they did that, I doubt that they could have covered it all up, and it’s only a matter of time before US and coalition forces find evidence as to the extent of the Iraqi’s WMD programs.
No, it doesn’t make sense. More than besting us, security and power are what he wants above all else. Had he been in a state where he could have truthfully said he had no WMDs and could have backed it up why would he have not quite frankly have said “I have nothing. Come and see.” Then let us in and see for ourselves. Not only would we be humiliated, but he’d remain in power.
Although if true, I’ll be sure to laugh my ass off at the irony.