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| Iraq |
| ’Solid case’ building for Iraq weapons, search leader says |
| 2003-07-31 |
| The U.S. is building "a solid case" that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction programs, said a leader of the search team in Iraq. "We are getting the active cooperation of Iraqis who were involved in that program" and "solid evidence is being produced," said David Kay, a former United Nations inspector whom the Central Intelligence Agency tapped to be its representative on the Iraq Survey Group. Kay said the team wouldn’t release "partial information" on its search, even as he confirmed that no weapons of mass destruction have been found. The search has been underway less than two months. No release of info in dribs and drabs, going to have one massive show and tell when he’s done. The Bush administration is under pressure to show evidence of what was its primary rationale for war. Democrats, including some who are vying to oppose President George W. Bush in the 2004 election, say the threat from weapons of mass destruction may have been exaggerated or based on flawed intelligence. Weaving their own rope, putting it around their necks and getting up on the chair. The only question now is when does George kick the chair out from under them. Kay spoke with reporters in the U.S. Capitol in Washington after giving a three-hour private briefing to the Senate Armed Services Committee. "America and the world must exercise patience," Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia, the panel’s chairman, said. The search team is committed to producing "sound facts and information" and won’t make "any dramatic public announcements at this time," he said. "We’re looking to see if we can get time during the Democratic convention." Kay’s briefing to Congress was his first since joining the Iraq Survey Group. He was accompanied by the group’s director, Army Major General Keith Dayton. Dayton echoed Kay’s positive assessment. "Every week, it is phenomenal what we are finding," he said. "I am much more optimistic and confident that we are going to come to a good resolution of this in good time." It’s not like we’re hiding the fact that we expect to find a WMD program, but the Donks just keep marching toward the cliff. Administration officials insist these weapons existed and evidence of them will be found. Warner and Kansas Republican Senator Pat Roberts, a armed services’ panel member who’s also chairman of the Intelligence Committee, urged patience. "This is a step-by-step process," Roberts said. Hussein spent "20 years and 10,000 Iraqis and millions of dollars on a program of denial and deception. We’ve had six weeks." Kay said the team "will not come forward with evidence until we have three criteria:" multiple sources from Iraqis, documents and physical proof. Kay labeled "completely inaccurate" a Washington Post report today that Iraqi scientists who have been questioned by U.S. officials continue to deny that Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction. So they are talking, bet they’ll open up even more when we set Sammy’s head on the table in front of them. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #4 State of the Union speech, January, 2004: GW: "Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished guests; I have with me tonight five people who will present information more important than I might say. They will detail Iraq's program of developing and using weapons of mass destruction. They will detail Iraq's links with terror groups. They will reveal how members of the ruling houses throughout the Middle East have tried to manipulate the US economy to pitch it into a recession, and how they funded and supported terrorist activities against the United States. They will detail how members of the opposition party stonewall, ambush, ennervate, and undercut every major homeland security issue, from increasing patrols along our physical borders to denying judicial appointments to assisting in the filing of frivilous lawsuits to undermine American justice. Finally, they will provide specific details of our programs, both our successes and our failures, to overcome these problems, and keep America - and Americans - safe." |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-8-1 12:19:45 AM |
| #3 I hope this is right. But if there is one lesson for news junkies from the Iraq war, it's don't jump at the first news reports. That goes for good news and bad and it has been ignored to varying degrees by both camps. It seems pretty plausible that there will be WMDF evidence found at some point. It also seems clear that the programs were not as extensive as previously believed. The politicization of all news reports is becoming absurd, although I do hope it has been useful in making people think harder about the deeper issues. I hope we do find something for a little vindication but we must remain realistic and leave the raving to the anti-Bush folk. |
| Posted by: Tokyo Taro 2003-7-31 10:21:53 PM |
| #2 I hate to sound political (LOL) but I suspect that Bush WILL sit on this until sometime next year. By that time every sniveling French-loving demoncrat will have spewed out all they could about 'phantom weapons'. Then Bush shows his royal flush and wins the game. Plausible? I think so. Can you imagine what Dean would do then? Daschele would have a nervous breakdown on the Senate floor. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-7-31 6:19:23 PM |
| #1 God Damn this is gonna be sweet payback for every quagmire whining asshole sniveling since November 2000. I've got a bottle chilling. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-7-31 5:10:48 PM |