Then and Now

Oct 9, 2003: "Since the liberation of Iraq, our investigators havefound evidence of a clandestine network of biological laboratories.They found advanced design work on prohibited longer-range missiles.They found an elaborate campaign to hide these illegal programs.There's still much to investigate, yet it is now undeniable that SaddamHussein was in clear violation of United Nations Security CouncilResolution 1441. It is undeniable that Saddam Hussein was a deceiverand a danger. The Security Council was right to demand that SaddamHussein disarm, and we were right to enforce that demand."

"When the inspection group wraps up its work, there are still going tobe people to say, "You didn't look everywhere. Isn't it possible it washidden someplace?" And the answer has got to be, honestly, "Yes, it'spossible." But you try to eliminate that by this other process. Andwhen I reached the conclusion -- which I admit is partial and is purelymine -- that I think there were no large stockpiles of WMD, it's basedon that process."

March 4 2003: "We're dealing with Iraq because the dictator of Iraq hasgot weapons of mass destruction; he's used weapons of mass destructionon his own people. He can't stand America, he can't stand our friends,he can't stand our allies. He's got connections to terrorist networks.The first war of the 21st century requires the US to workwith international bodies to deal with these threats, and we willcontinue to do so."

March 16, 2003: "The dictator of Iraqand his weapons of mass destruction are a threat to the security offree nations.... He possesses the weapons of mass murder... the Iraqiregime will disarm itself, or the Iraqi regime will be disarmed byforce. And the regime has not disarmed itself."

March 17,2003: "Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves nodoubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of themost lethal weapons ever devised."

"The intention was to dramatize it just as the vendors of somemerchandise are trying to increase and exaggerate the importance ofwhat they have... From politicians, from our leaders in the Westernworld, I think we expect more than that. A bit more sincerity.. And wenow know that there were no weapons of mass destruction when theinvasion started."

January 29, 2002, State of the Union Address:

"We have found diagrams of American nuclear power plants and publicwater facilities, detailed instructions for making chemical weapons,surveillance maps of American cities, and thorough descriptions oflandmarks in America and throughout the world."

"The White House [said] that no plant diagrams were actually found inAfghanistan. "There's no additional basis for the language in thespeech that we have found."

Sept 24, 2003: "What I believe the assessed intelligence hasestablished beyond doubt is that Saddam has continued to producechemical and biological weapons, that he continues in his efforts todevelop nuclear weapons, and that he has been able to extend the rangeof his ballistic missile programme… I am in no doubt that the threat isserious and current, that he has made progress on WMD, and that he hasto be stopped… And the document discloses that his military planningallows for some of the WMD to be ready within 45 minutes of an order touse them."

"The bar has been raised... People are going to be very suspicious whenone talks to them about intelligence. And they are going to be verysuspicious when we try to use intelligence to justify certain actions."