Runboard.com
Слава Україні!



Runboard.com       Registered Members Will See No Ads - CLICK TO REGISTER FOR FREE  LOGIN

 
voltaire Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 06-2003
Posts: 197
Reply Quote
Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Story speaks for itself.

V


http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=538832

Blair finally admits it: 'We may never find WMD'
By Andrew Grice, Political Editor
07 July 2004


Tony Blair admitted for the first time yesterday that weapons of mass destruction may never be found in Iraq and, in a remarkable U-turn, even suggested that Saddam Hussein may have destroyed his arsenal.

The Prime Minister, who has previously dismissed the idea that Saddam's weapons had been destroyed as "palpably absurd", told a committee of MPs: "I have to accept we have not found them and we may not find them. He may have removed or hidden or even destroyed those weapons. We don't know."

Mr Blair finally made his admission after insisting since last year's conflict that weapons would eventually be discovered and that the pre-war intelligence was right. But he rejected growing demands for him to "say sorry" over the Iraq war and insisted it was right to remove Saddam, describing him as an "evil person" and a "tyrant" that the world was well rid of.

His move was seen at Westminster as a pre-emptive strike before the publication a week today of the Butler report into Britain's pre-war intelligence, which is expected to criticise the security services and the use by the Government of the material they provided. Mr Blair is expected to admit that mistakes were made ­ but to defend the decision to topple Saddam.

During a two-and-a-half hour interrogation by the Commons Liaison Committee yesterday, Mr Blair was asked whether it was a mistake to put so much emphasis on WMD rather than regime change before the war. He replied: "I say it is very important not to go to the other extreme and say: 'Because we have not found actual stockpiles of WMD, therefore he was not a threat.' " Insisting Saddam was in breach of United Nations resolutions, he said: "I was very, very confident we would find [WMD]." He added: "I genuinely believe that those weapons were there and that is why the international community came together as they did."

In America, it emerged that a senate inquiry had uncovered evidence that the CIA was told by relatives of Iraqi scientists before the war that Baghdad's weapons programmes had been abandoned. But the CIA failed to pass the information to President George Bush, according to officials.

The existence of a secret pre-war CIA operation to debrief relatives of Iraqi scientists has been uncovered by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The panel has been investigating the government's handling of pre-war intelligence on Iraq's unconventional weapons and it plans to issue a wide-ranging report this week on the first phase of its inquiry.

It is expected to contain a scathing indictment of the CIA and its leaders for failing to recognise that the evidence they had collected did not justify their assessment that Saddam had illicit weapons.

Mr Blair's remarks were welcomed by some Labour MPs but did not go far enough for his anti-war critics. Charles Kennedy, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "The Prime Minister diminishes himself and his office by not acknowledging what everyone else accepts, which is that there was no serious threat from weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

"When Jeremy Greenstock [the former British envoy to Iraq] is prepared to appear on television and frankly admit this, the Prime Minister just looks silly. It's time he came to terms with the reality."

Michael Ancram, the shadow Foreign Secretary, said: "In the run-up to war, Tony Blair was quite clear about the threat posed by Iraq. As military operations commenced, he made clear the reason for going to war was 'to remove Saddam Hussein from power, and disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction'. If all of these remarks were honestly meant, then the Prime Minister now owes the country a full explanation."

Mr Blair told yesterday's hearing that Britain did not have the "machinery" in place to ensure that the remaining British detainees at Guantanamo Bay would not pose a security threat if they were released. He confirmed that he had raised their cases with President Bush recently, but did not believe the US was being "unreasonable" in holding on to them until Britain could give assurances they would not be a security threat.

The Prime Minister defended the close relationship he has with President Bush, saying other countries would "give their eye teeth" for it.

THE PM'S RETREAT...

'The intelligence is clear: [Saddam] continues to believe his WMD programme is essential both for internal repression and for external aggression' 25 February 2003

'We are asked to accept that, contrary to all intelligence, Saddam decided to destroy those weapons. I say that such a claim is palpably absurd' 18 March 2003

'I don't concede at all that the intelligence was wrong. I have no doubt at all that we will find evidence of weapons of mass destruction programmes' 8 July 2003

'I have to accept that we have not found them and we may not find them. He [Saddam] may have removed or hidden or even destroyed those weapons.' 6 July 2004
 
  
 
 




---
"At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality."

Che Guevara
8/Jul/04, 1:05 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
rcable1 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 04-2004
Location: High Point, NC
Posts: 322
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Which says that WMD did indeed exist at one time.

---

Music Discussion Group
Man and The Moon
8/Jul/04, 2:01 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
voltaire Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 06-2003
Posts: 197
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Well, Tony Blair says, anyway. You can believe him if you like. emoticon

He has no evidence whatsoever to prove that Iraq either posessed WMDs, or posed any sort of threat to the west at all, at the time of the invasion of Iraq.

V

---
"At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality."

Che Guevara
8/Jul/04, 23:35 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
Alpha Centauri Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Administrator
 

Runboard user emeritus

Registered: 02-2004
Location: Athens, Hellas
Posts: 1988
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Well, V, I'll have to agree with Rusty here. I think they DO know that Iraq posesseS WMDs. But they would never, ever, present ANY evidence to that, because if they did they would also have to blatantly admit that THEY (the US) provided Saddam with WMDs back then in the 80's, when Saddam was US's loyal (and favorite) ally in the war against Iran's Khomeini... So what would they possibly say to their voters if it turned out to be that the WMDs that Iraq posseses are very well made in the USA?

See their dilemma?

emoticon

---



9/Jul/04, 2:12 Link to this post PM 
 
voltaire Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 06-2003
Posts: 197
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Actually when you put it like that I can only sympathise with their difficulties. The poor lambs. emoticon

V

---
"At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality."

Che Guevara
9/Jul/04, 9:33 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
rcable1 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 04-2004
Location: High Point, NC
Posts: 322
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Well the report just out today basically says that the intelligence from the CIA was not complete and not all true.

I think that Georgw W. decided to go to war on that missinformation and was not purposely lying to the public.

I really think he did what he truly felt was right.

Thats just my opinion, and I am not sure we will ever know positively if there were any other reasons other than that, although I do agree that the possibility does exist that the Iraq war exists for the wrong reasons.

---

Music Discussion Group
Man and The Moon
9/Jul/04, 18:33 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
voltaire Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 06-2003
Posts: 197
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


I reckon George Bush went to war because of a mixture of his own simplistic convictions and manipulation of his limited political ability by a coterie of very able, very well connected and very right wing figures in his administration.

V

---
"At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality."

Che Guevara
10/Jul/04, 3:18 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
rcable1 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 04-2004
Location: High Point, NC
Posts: 322
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Spoken like a true Democrat emoticon emoticon

---

Music Discussion Group
Man and The Moon
10/Jul/04, 16:58 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
addi30 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Moderator
 


Registered: 12-2003
Location: In my own little world....
Posts: 1107
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"



rcable1 wrote:

....although I do agree that the possibility does exist that the Iraq war exists for the wrong reasons.




I have never been prouder of you than I am at this moment... emoticon emoticon

---
To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore Roosevelt
10/Jul/04, 18:20 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
voltaire Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 06-2003
Posts: 197
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Rusty;

Actually I'm not even American. And besides, the Dems are far too right-wing for my tastes emoticon emoticon

V



Last edited by:
voltaire, 10/Jul/04, 23:20


---
"At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality."

Che Guevara
10/Jul/04, 23:19 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
rcable1 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 04-2004
Location: High Point, NC
Posts: 322
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


I knew you were not American, so I was actually kidding.

Do you consider yourself conserative or liberal?



---

Music Discussion Group
Man and The Moon
11/Jul/04, 11:14 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
voltaire Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 06-2003
Posts: 197
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


I'd put myself on the libertarian left - most certainly not conservative but not liberal either. "Libertarian Socialist" is the closest term I suppose.

V

---
"At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality."

Che Guevara
11/Jul/04, 11:40 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
Museum Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 05-2003
Posts: 218
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Bush went to war simply because of greed.
11/Jul/04, 16:26 Link to this post PM 
 
rcable1 Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 04-2004
Location: High Point, NC
Posts: 322
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"



I'd put myself on the libertarian left - most certainly not conservative but not liberal either. "Libertarian Socialist" is the closest term I suppose.



The terms can be very confusing and difficult to understand for one to place oneself into a specific "category"(so to speak).

I doubt there is a term for me, as I agree and disagree with parts of them all. So I will say the Swiss Middle since the Swiss are suposedly neutral.

---

Music Discussion Group
Man and The Moon
11/Jul/04, 22:45 Link to this post Email   PM 
 
Ahlyssah Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 07-2004
Location: Lost in a dream of mirrors
Posts: 830
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


I'm going to have to go with the Bush-is-the-AntiChrist-who's-main-goal-is-to-topple-the-American-government-and-lay-waste-to-all-that-is-good-and-Holy-in-the-world-when-he-takes-it-over-with-the-help-of-a-really-big-stick-of-doom theory.

Or not. What, do you people think I'm an AOL* user?! emoticon Puh-lease.

I think this is all just the result of misinformation and overreaction. Somebody may have heard a rumor about WMD in Iraq, told a member of the Cabinet, who told Bush, who jumped to conclusions and assumed that Saddam HAD to have WMD hidden about the country. Or it may have been prcoess of elimination. Can't you just see Bush with a map of the world (Mercator projection, of course emoticon ) and a Sharpie making X's and saying, "It can't be England, cuz they speak American like we do, it's not Egypt, cuz they promised they wouldn't, and it can't be Jupiter, because I don't see it anywhere on here. It must be Iraq!"

Or maybe all politicians are idiots who like to shoot at things.

* If you are using AOL, it's a joke! A joke!

---
There are things which Man can not understand. For everything else, there's a lie.

Let's see if we can't get to the truth of the matter, hmm?

'Lyssa was here . . . and she'll be back
4/Aug/04, 23:25 Link to this post Email   PM  AIM  Blog
 
Alpha Centauri Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Administrator
 

Runboard user emeritus

Registered: 02-2004
Location: Athens, Hellas
Posts: 1988
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


ROFLMAO... emoticon emoticon emoticon

---



5/Aug/04, 1:02 Link to this post PM 
 
C Berenice Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Moderator
 


Registered: 04-2004
Posts: 1100
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"



Alpha Centauri wrote:ROFLMAO... emoticon emoticon emoticon

DITTO!!!!!!.... emoticon emoticon emoticon ..some more!...

---

5/Aug/04, 8:47 Link to this post PM 
 
Xuile Solen Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Member
 


Registered: 03-2005
Location: Norway, Molde
Posts: 40
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Hmmm, only WMD's Iraq has had I've heard of is american nerve gas they bought to fight Iran but that's years ago, I believe some..danish troops found some canisters of it but they were unguarded and in poor condition.

As far as this is concerned, I'm surprised the world's most powerful man can be so, and excuse me for not being able to find a more appropriate word, stupid to act on such poor intelligence. I even remember the news post two weeks ago saying their "main source" was a drunk and even the middle man german agents worked with didn't trust him.

Though, as far as I'm concerned, this isn't quite over yet so I'll wait with the name calling and/or cheers till it's over. The war that is.

---
"We will win through, no matter the cost!" Arcturus Mensk
26/Apr/05, 14:54 Link to this post Email   PM  MSN 
 
Drakelancers Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Member
 


Registered: 02-2005
Posts: 33
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


I would have to say that Bush maybe was not all at fault here. He may have recieved word from on of his right-wing advisors of 'WMD's' and then just wanted to act on it. He may not have been at the base of the fault though with word of only possibilities I personally think he thought that was good enough to invade Iraq. I also think that the invasion was just started by that faulty information but the real goal was the oil.... For this world is run on power and modern technology such as vehicles and who ever holds the oil has a lot of money. Also, the first Iraq War started by his father might of urged him onwards too, to finish his fathers job. My personal idea is that it was more a oil/power struggle than 'saving the iraqi people'.

---

"Life means Death, Death means Freedom, Freedom means Life."
26/Apr/05, 15:03 Link to this post Email   PM  AIM  Yahoo 
 
Ahlyssah Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Senior Member
 


Registered: 07-2004
Location: Lost in a dream of mirrors
Posts: 830
Reply Quote
Re: Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction"


Agreed. And I reiterate that there has never been a war of semi-global proportions waged over solar panels.

---
There are things which Man can not understand. For everything else, there's a lie.

Let's see if we can't get to the truth of the matter, hmm?

'Lyssa was here . . . and she'll be back
8/May/05, 19:02 Link to this post Email   PM  AIM  Blog
 


Add Reply






You are not logged in (LOGIN)