WMD's were found in Iraq

[dmahurin]

WMD's are chemical, biological, nuclear, or radiological weapons.

Here's a report from the DOD that says munitions containing mustard and sarin gas were found in Iraq.

http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=15918

Here's a report from the house select comittee on intelligence stating the same thing.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...Iac5L9Cm-FUqLw

No nutjob links, but real evidence showing stockpiles of WMD's did in fact exist in Iraq. Just throwing it out for the "bush lied, people died" crowd.

[Scooter Libby]

Were the sales tags still attached?

[bevischief]

Companies from all the world sold them the WMD in the the 80's.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Pat, you're being silly. As you said, the active WMD program thing was complete BS and was basically THE reason for invading--that they were an imminent threat to us ("They have WMDs and we know where they are.")

It wasn't BS, it was just wrong. And no, it wasn't THE reason, it was one of many reasons. Furthermore, even though we were wrong about active programs, it's clear from our post-invasion investigations that Saddam was preparing to restart his WMD programs as soon as he could shed the burden of sanctions. And the sanctions regime was rapidly crumbling at the time.

BTW, the administration never took the position that Iraq was an imminent threat to us in any other sense than the fact that they repeatedly targeted and attacked our no-fly-zone aircraft.

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

The stuff about old stockpiles from the 80s "vindicates" the decision? It certainly wasn't an actual part of the decision because it is and was a phony issue. Most of it actually was accounted for. But the other stuff found abandoned, long ago buried away--was worthless. It was degraded, not usuable as weapons.

It wasn't a phony issue as these dilapidated stockpiles prove. Prior to their discovery, we had no way of knowing whether they existed in pristine condition or whether they had been destroyed, as Saddam claimed (or, as it turned out, something in between). Saddam had an obligation to account for them and he refused to live up to that obligation. We still haven't accounted for all of it, as these 500 or so munitions falls far short of what was outstanding. But we did account for the Saddam regime.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by LiveSteam

Attaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

[suzzer99]

patteeu going hard to the paint on this one

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by patteeu

It wasn't a phony issue as these dilapidated stockpiles prove. Prior to their discovery, we had no way of knowing whether they existed in pristine condition or whether they had been destroyed, as Saddam claimed (or, as it turned out, something in between). Saddam had an obligation to account for them and he refused to live up to that obligation. We still haven't accounted for all of it, as these 500 or so munitions falls far short of what was outstanding. But we did account for the Saddam regime.

Phony issue. Under the best of circumstances, these types of weapons that are 20 years old = not usuable. The biggest threat from these weapons was if you stubbed your toe on one.

These are all issues used in hindsight or as add-ons to justify the invasion. There was only one reason that would justify the invasion--They had usuable weapons and were about to use them against us. That situation was never close to existing.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

patteeu going hard to the paint on this one

If Dick Cheney's reputation is at stake, pat always goes all-out to defend it.

[KILLER_CLOWN]

WMD's could be found in anyones underwear..invade at once!!!!!!!!

[LiveSteam]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Phony issue. Under the best of circumstances, these types of weapons that are 20 years old = not usuable. The biggest threat from these weapons was if you stubbed your toe on one.

Awesome/ now you are chemical biologist.

With in days of Dessert Storms end. Saddam Hussein used Chemical weapons on his own people,the Kurd's. You really believe the shelf life is 10 years?

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Phony issue. Under the best of circumstances, these types of weapons that are 20 years old = not usuable. The biggest threat from these weapons was if you stubbed your toe on one.

These are all issues used in hindsight or as add-ons to justify the invasion. There was only one reason that would justify the invasion--They had usuable weapons and were about to use them against us. That situation was never close to existing.

No one ever even claimed that that situation existed, much less that it was the only justification for war.

Failure to comply with the WMD accountabity program alone justified Saddam's ouster, whether those munitions existed in useable form or not.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by patteeu

The Bush-Lied-People-Died crowd are pretty oblivious to the truth.

Just so people don;t get all hyper about this report. First its old news. The reason its old news is that the weapons were from the Iran/Iraq war. They were so old, they would not have worked even if someone tried to use them.

This was no smoking gun. Saddam was not making WMD. The reason for the war was BS.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by LiveSteam

Awesome/ now you are chemical biologist.

With in days of Dessert Storms end. Saddam Hussein used Chemical weapons on his own people,the Kurd's. You really believe the shelf life is 10 years?

The DOD chemical teams declared it unusable and not a threat to anyone.

[LiveSteam]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

The DOD chemical teams declared it unusable and not a threat to anyone.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by LiveSteam

Awesome/ now you are chemical biologist.

With in days of Dessert Storms end. Saddam Hussein used Chemical weapons on his own people,the Kurd's. You really believe the shelf life is 10 years?

Actually, the shelf life of the stuff Saddam was known to have was less, more like 3-5 years.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by patteeu

No one ever even claimed that that situation existed, much less that it was the only justification for war.

Failure to comply with the WMD accountabity program alone justified Saddam's ouster, whether those munitions existed in useable form or not.

Even the W administration years ago started blaming the lack of WMDs on intelligence failures. I understand you want to stand up for your hero Cheney, but trying to defend the war based on the alleged unknown whereabouts of useless remnants of "WMDs" is quite ludicrous.