If The Bush Administration Lied About WMD,

So Did All of These People:

"Saddam Hussein is not only malevolent and violent but he is also to some

large degree unpredictable at least to us. I'm sure he has a rationale for

what he's doing, but we don't always know it. He does retain his chemical and

biological capabilities and he is, as far as we know, actively pursuing

nuclear capabilities. If he were to acquire nuclear weapons, I think our

friends in the region would face greatly increased risks as would we.”

--Wesley Clark ( D ) testimony before Congress Sept.26, 2002.—

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"Saddam Hussein's regime represents a grave threat to America and our allies,

including our vital ally, Israel. For more than two decades, Saddam Hussein

has sought weapons of mass destruction through every available means. We know

that he has chemical and biological weapons. He has already used them against

his neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We know that

he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know

that each day he gets closer to achieving that goal."

--Senator John Edwards ( D ), Oct 10, 2002—

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"[W]ithout question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal,

murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime. We all know the litany of

his offenses. He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so

consistently prone to miscalculation. He miscalculated an eight-year war with

Iran. He miscalculated the invasion of Kuwait. He miscalculated America's

response to that act of naked aggression. He miscalculated the result of

setting oil rigs on fire. He miscalculated the impact of sending scuds into

Israel and trying to assassinate an American President. He miscalculated his

own military strength. He miscalculated the Arab world's response to his

misconduct. And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued

deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction. That is why

the world, through the United Nations Security Council, has spoken with one

voice, demanding that Iraq disclose its weapons programs and disarm. So the

threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real ..."

--Senator John F. Kerry ( D ) January 23, 2003—

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"I will be voting to give the president of the United States the authority to

use force - if necessary - to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a

deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a

real and grave threat to our security."

--Senator John F. Kerry ( D ), Oct 2002—

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"I share the administration's goals in dealing with Iraq

and its weapons of mass destruction."

--Rep. Dick Gephardt ( D ) in September of 2002—

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"Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we

should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access to weapons

of mass destruction. Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven

impossible to completely deter and we should assume that it will

continue for as long as Saddam is in power."

--Al Gore ( D ), 2002--

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"What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with

the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use such weapons in

the past. Today, a number of evidences may lead to think that, over the past

four years, in the absence of international inspectors,

this country has continued armament programs."

--Jacques Chirac ( Socialist ), October 16, 2002—

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"The community of nations may see more and more of the very kind of threat

Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to use

them or provide them to terrorists. If we fail to respond today, Saddam and

all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow."

--President Bill Clinton ( D ) in 1998—

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"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that

Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons

stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also

given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members,

though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible

events of September 11, 2001. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked,

Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and

chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he

succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security

landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all

too well affects American security."

--Senator Hillary Clinton ( D ), October 10, 2002—

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"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking

and developing weapons of mass destruction."

--Senator Ted Kennedy ( D ), September 27, 2002—

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"As we survey the landscape of threats to our security in the years ahead,

the greatest are terrorists like Al Qaeda and rogue regimes like Saddam

Hussein's. Saddam hates America and Americans and is working furiously to

accumulate deadly weapons of mass destruction, and the missiles, planes, and

unmanned aerial vehicles to use in attacking distant targets .... The

essential facts are known. We know of the weapons in Saddam's possession:

chemical, biological, and nuclear in time. We know of his unequaled

willingness to use them. We know his history. His invasions of his neighbors.

His dreams of achieving hegemonic control over the Arab world. His record of

anti-American rage. His willingness to terrorize, to slaughter, to suppress

his own people and others. We need not stretch to imagine nightmare scenarios

in which Saddam makes common cause with the terrorists who want to kill us

Americans and destroy our way of life."

-- Senator Joseph Lieberman ( D ) September 13, 2002--

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"Iraq is not the only nation in the world to possess weapons of mass

destruction, but it is the only nation with a leader

who has used them against his own people."

--Senator Tom Daschle ( D ) in 1998—

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"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the

proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave

importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development

of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in

the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."

--Rep. Nancy Pelosi ( D ), December 16, 1998—

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"While the distance between the United States and Iraq is great, Saddam

Hussein's ability to use his chemical and biological weapons against us is

not constrained by geography - it can be accomplished in a number of

different ways - which is what makes this threat so real and persuasive."

-- Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) October 10, 2002—

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"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S.

Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate,

air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond

effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end

its weapons of mass destruction programs."

--From a letter signed by Joe Lieberman ( D ), Dianne Feinstein ( D ),

Barbara A. Milulski ( D ), Tom Daschle ( D ),

& John Kerry ( D ) among others on October 9,1998—

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"This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors last

visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since that time, Saddam Hussein has

reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological,

chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to

pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to refine delivery systems

and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop

longer- range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies."

-- From a December 6, 2001 letter signed by Bob Graham ( D ),

Joe Lieberman ( D ), Harold Ford ( D ), & Tom Lantos ( D ) among others--

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"Saddam's goal ... is to achieve the lifting of U.N. sanctions while

retaining and enhancing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. We

cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed."

--Secretary of State Madeline Albright ( D ), 1998--

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"Iraq made commitments after the Gulf War to completely dismantle all weapons

of mass destruction, and unfortunately, Iraq has not lived up to its agreement."

--Rep. Barbara Boxer ( D ), November 8, 2002--

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"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are

confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and

biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build

up his chemical and biological warfare capability.

Intelligence reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons."

--Senator Robert Byrd ( D ), October 2002--

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"I am absolutely convinced that there are weapons...I saw evidence back in

1998 when we would see the inspectors being barred from gaining entry into a

warehouse for three hours with trucks rolling up and

then moving those trucks out."

--Clinton's Secretary of Defense William Cohen in April of 2003—

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"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that

Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the

production and storage of weapons of mass destruction."

--Senator Bob Graham ( D ), December 2002--

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"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace

and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandates of the United Nations and

is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them."

--Senator Carl Levin ( D ), Sept 19, 2002--

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"Over the years, Iraq has worked to develop nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. During 1991 - 1994, despite Iraq's denials, U.N. inspectors discovered and dismantled a large network of nuclear facilities that Iraq was using to develop nuclear weapons. Various reports indicate that Iraq is still actively pursuing nuclear weapons capability. There is no reason to think otherwise. Beyond nuclear weapons, Iraq has actively pursued biological and chemical weapons. U.N. inspectors have said that Iraq's claims about biological weapons is neither credible nor verifiable. In 1986, Iraq used chemical weapons against Iran, and later, against its own Kurdish population. While weapons inspections have been successful in the past,

there have been no inspections since the end of 1998.

There can be no doubt that Iraq has continued to pursue its goal

of obtaining weapons of mass destruction."

--Senator Patty Murray ( D ), October 9, 2002—

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"Even today, Iraq is not nearly disarmed. Based on highly credible intelligence, UNSCOM [the U.N. weapons inspectors] suspects that Iraq still has biological agents like anthrax, botulinum toxin, and clostridium perfringens in sufficient quantity to fill several dozen bombs and ballistic missile warheads, as well as the means to continue manufacturing these deadly agents. Iraq probably retains several tons of the highly toxic VX substance, as well as sarin nerve gas and mustard gas. This agent is stored in artillery shells, bombs, and ballistic missile warheads. And Iraq retains significant dual-use industrial infrastructure that can be used to rapidly reconstitute large-scale chemical weapons production."

--Ex-Un Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter in 1998—

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"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years. And that may happen sooner if he can obtain access to enriched uranium from foreign sources -- something that is not that difficult in the current world. We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress

Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."

--Senator John Rockefeller ( D ), Oct 10, 2002—

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"Saddam’s existing biological and chemical weapons capabilities pose a very real threat to America, now. Saddam has used chemical weapons before, both against Iraq’s enemies and against his own people.

He is working to develop delivery systems like missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles that could bring these

deadly weapons against U.S. forces and U.S. facilities in the Middle East."

--Senator John Rockefeller ( D ), Oct 10, 2002—

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"Whether one agrees or disagrees with the Administration’s policy towards Iraq, I don’t think there can be any question about Saddam’s conduct. He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do. He lies and cheats; he snubs the mandate and authority of international weapons inspectors; and he games the system to keep buying time against enforcement of the just and legitimate demands of the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States and our allies. Those are simply the facts."

--Rep. Henry Waxman ( D ), Oct 10, 2002—

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Hillary Clinton’s Speech Authorizing War in Iraq

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