ISG report: Iraq a *diminishing* threat

[Vympel]

Ownage.

The officials said Duelfer, an experienced former United Nations weapons inspector, found that the state of Hussein's weapons-development programs and knowledge base was less advanced in 2003, when the war began, than it was in 1998, when international inspectors left Iraq.

So much for the "sanctions were falling apart" bullshit line of rhetoric.

[Patrick Degan]

Yes, but you have to understand that Charlie Duelfer's inspections were "incomplete" and that Saddam's Vast Phantom WMD Arsenal™ will yet be found given enough inspections, no matter how many of them turn up negative.

[salm]

since he´s a former UN inspector it´s most likely that he´s a puppet controlled by the french.

[BoredShirtless]

Anyway the UN is full of nitwits, UN = United Nitwits

[Beowulf]

The official said Duelfer will tell Congress in the report and in testimony today that Hussein intended to reconstitute weapons of mass destruction programs if he were freed of the U.N. sanctions that prevented him from getting needed materials.

Duelfer's report said Hussein was pursuing an aggressive effort to subvert the international sanctions through illegal financing and procurement efforts, officials said. The official said the report states that Hussein had the intent to resume full-scale weapons of mass destruction efforts after the sanctions were eliminated, and details Hussein's efforts to hinder international inspectors and preserve his weapons of mass destruction capabilities.

The report includes page after page of names of individuals and companies -- many from China, Russia and France -- that had traded illegally with Iraq, the senior government official said. The State Department began briefing the named governments on the report yesterday, the official said.

Wow... look at that...

[Ma Deuce]

The report includes page after page of names of individuals and companies -- many from China, Russia and France -- that had traded illegally with Iraq, the senior government official said. The State Department began briefing the named governments on the report yesterday, the official said.

Wow... look at that...

IIRC, the report also cites several American companies that violated the sanctions as well...

[Patrick Degan]

The official said Duelfer will tell Congress in the report and in testimony today that Hussein intended to reconstitute weapons of mass destruction programs if he were freed of the U.N. sanctions that prevented him from getting needed materials.

Duelfer's report said Hussein was pursuing an aggressive effort to subvert the international sanctions through illegal financing and procurement efforts, officials said. The official said the report states that Hussein had the intent to resume full-scale weapons of mass destruction efforts after the sanctions were eliminated, and details Hussein's efforts to hinder international inspectors and preserve his weapons of mass destruction capabilities.

Wow.

Unfortunately, the case for the late war wasn't based on Hussein's "intent" to one day set in motion the process to once again commence Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme Related Activities™, nevermind actually possessing WMD, but on the alleged Vast WMD Arsenal™ he supposedly had at the ready as an imminent threat. Intent without the capacity to actually fulfill it means exactly dick.