US gives up search for Iraq WMD

[;TT]

Mr Duelfer reported last year that Iraq had no stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons at the time of the US-led invasion nearly two years ago.

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4169107.stm

Comments? I'll throw mine in after the Bush bashing starts. =)

[the_JinX]

No Bush bashing from my side.. He's the smart one, the rest of the US (especialy the ones that got him re-elected) are the ones in need of bashing..
And this is more proof of that

[|3lack|ce]

Easy enough. And this was also predictable to anyone with some common sense, here's the steps:

1. The single biggest military mistake since Veitnam was George Bush senior not finishing the job during Desert Storm. It's counted as a failure among historians. Instead of being 'punished' as was the original intent, Saddam Hussein (who was spurned politically by the other arab nations prior to Desert Storm) was elevated to 'hero' status for surviving a US invasion. There were other political things that occurred post-Storm which were open slaps in the face to Bush Sr. as well - like the Kuwait royal family refusing to re-enter their palace until the US Army Corps of Engineers reinstalled the solid-gold bathroom fittings, at OUR expense.

2. George Junior entered the office of Governor of Texas with the intent for an eventual Presidential bid - and even at that time there were mutterings about 'fixing daddy's mistake'.

3. When he was elected, the first thing he did was start pointing a finger in Iraq's direction - until China got his attention, then 9-11 brought it back to bear on the Arabs.

4. Failing to capture OBL, and suffering politically even after giving a tax rebate, George turned to the one thing he knew well - making war on Iraq. Intel (our spies) had somehow produced a report to support the argument that Saddam had wmd's. Saddam had also repeatedly refused access to the UN inspectors, and had been a pain in the arse in general instead of complying with the treaty which ended Storm. Understand that Desert Storm never really ended - it was just at a 'cease fire' until Junior restarted it.

To conclude, this was all about 'fixing daddy's mistake' imho. It had nothing to do with wmd in Iraq, although I firmly believe that Iraq had them and that they're sitting quite safely in Jordan and Saudi Arabia right now.

Being the staunch Bush supporter I am, I believe we're right in fighting in Iraq. I also believe that their country is much better off without Saddam. However I'll openly recognize Junior's mistakes - here's one right off the top from world history.

There's a reason countries back in the 18th century didn't interfere with 'revolutions' - including the US revolution (which is why it was very hard for us to get allies back then, even from France, who eventually helped us.) We're seeing that reason right now in Iraq - what we did there in essence was to manufacture a revolution by overthrowing their government. The aftereffects of this will go on for quite some time, even after we've pulled out. I fear that the ruler who replaces Saddam will be just as bad, or worse, for Saddam was merely greedy - the next one might be ambitious...

[MrLinus]

I fear that the ruler who replaces Saddam will be just as bad, or worse, for Saddam was merely greedy - the next one might be ambitious...

Uh.. .last time I checked, he wasn't just greedy. He committed genocide. That should have been reason enough for the UN to return. Heck, it should have been reason enough for George Jr. to go there (which if that had been the true reason, I can live more with that than with an excuse of WMD). Read A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide. It has a whole chapter on Iraq and it's use of chemical weapons on the Kurdish residents.

[AngelicKnight]

Ooooooh, for once I just about completely agree with everything said here. I think between your two posts, it boils down to this:

The single biggest military mistake since Veitnam was George Bush senior not finishing the job during Desert Storm.

Desert Storm never really ended - it was just at a 'cease fire' until Junior restarted it.

EXACTLY. This has been the backbone of my support for this war. I think if everyone realized this, the country would be MUCH more united. Evidently the problem lies within:

He committed genocide. That should have been reason enough for the UN to return. Heck, it should have been reason enough for George Jr. to go there

I think if Bush made a mistake, this was it. He should've bypassed the whole WMD argument and just went straight for freedom fighting, and then maybe we wouldn't have had such a huge controversy. I think libs and conservs alike can agree ending that genocide was a good idea.

Might I also note, that above all else, it was well established Saddam was planning to acquire WMDs, and who dares argue that he wouldn't if he could?

[kurt_der_koenig]

To conclude, this was all about 'fixing daddy's mistake' imho. It had nothing to do with wmd in Iraq, although I firmly believe that Iraq had them and that they're sitting quite safely in Jordan and Saudi Arabia right now.

Amen, brother .

[RoadClosed]

Invasions, cohersion, torture, genecide, using every damn banned weapon on the planet (on his own people), imprissonment, corruption, attacking non-military targets in isreal (on purpose), 10 years of defiance at every UN resolution. I think you are on to something MS Mittens.

[Cybr1d]

He committed genocide. That should have been reason enough for the UN to return. Heck, it should have been reason enough for George Jr. to go there

Thats true MsM, but unfortunately there's too many people in this world who simply do not give a **** about who's getting killed across the other side of the globe .

[AngelicKnight]

Thats true MsM, but unfortunately there's too many people in this world who simply do not give a **** about who's getting killed across the other side of the globe

No, they care if it's the cause of a national disaster, and will attack Bush for not helping them. They just don't care if it's the cause of murder, and will attack Bush for helping them.

[|3lack|ce]

You're absolutely correct MsMittens - but after seeing his palaces firsthand, and in pictures over the media and sent home from my stepson, greed appears to have been his prime motivator. Saddam in power was a bloodthirsty, greedy bastard who enjoyed the power that had absolutely corrupted him. Given the tribal mindset of the various Iraqi factions, will not his replacement do worse still? Have we made a bigger mistake in removing him? Those worries are what play in my mind each time I think on the subject. All we can do at this point is wait, watch, and try to make peaceful the hornet's nest we stirred up. God bless 'em all, our troops who have to suffer through these 'rebirth pangs' for a nation not their own. As for Saddam, I hope he fries in the most painful method possible, and very soon, instead of sitting down in Gtmo brig and eating our food and our humane treatment. (that last sentence was to open yet another can of worms - let's see if anyone bites...)