Have any of you actually read this yet? I'm in the process but the page with "Key Findings" is very interesting. It clearly demonstrates that Saddam was manipulating nations and the Oil for Food program in an effort to undermine the santions with the goal of reconstituting is WMD program. Here are some clips from the "Key Findings" section: Regime Strategic Intent * Saddam’s primary goal from 1991 to 2003 was to have UN sanctions lifted, while maintaining the security of the Regime. * The introduction of the Oil-For-Food program (OFF) in late 1996 was a key turning point for the Regime. OFF rescued Baghdad’s economy from a terminal decline created by sanctions. The Regime quickly came to see that OFF could be corrupted to acquire foreign exchange both to further undermine sanctions and to provide the means to enhance dual-use infrastructure and potential WMD-related development. * Saddam wanted to recreate Iraq’s WMD capability—which was essentially destroyed in 1991—after sanctions were removed and Iraq’s economy stabilized, but probably with a different mix of capabilities to that which previously existed. Saddam aspired to develop a nuclear capability—in an incremental fashion, irrespective of international pressure and the resulting economic risks—but he intended to focus on ballistic missile and tactical chemical warfare (CW) capabilities. (Emphasis and italics mine.)
Saddam wanted to recreate Iraq’s WMD capability—which was essentially destroyed in 1991—after sanctions were removed and Iraq’s economy stabilized Before the war, we knew that Saddam was diverting oil-for-food monies into his secret WMD programs. But it looks like we guessed wrong. Now after the war, we know that the sly dog Saddam was actually waiting like a snake in the grass to reconstitute his WMD programs after the sanctions were lifted. Could it be possible that we are guessing wrong again? I find the above statement to be political posturing and thus fairly worthless. Sanctions being lifted would not mean that the No-Fly Zones would be lifted (since they outside of the UNSC authority). And the weapons inspection teams would certainly still be on-the-job periodically checking Iraq's compliance. We do now know that the weapons inspection teams, despite what the Bush Admin said before the war, were quite effective. [Edit: fixed mangled english ]
Disagree. Because Saddam was bribing the leaders of France, Germany and the United Nations (Kofi Annan?), Mr. Bush had no chance of passing an effective sanction or developing a European coalition. Therefore, in the spirit of hindsight that many here seem to love, Mr. Bush was correct in proceeding even though the intelligence on WMD from Russia, Britain, Jordan, Egypt, Israel, France, Germany and the U.S. was faulty.
"After the event even the fool is wise. Yet it is not the hindsight of a fool, but it is the foresight of a reasonable man which alone can determine responsibility."
