Saddam's $2m offer to WMD inspector

[Bush didn't want to wade into WMD mess] What mess is there if it is as clear and dry as you claim??

I'm NOT claiming it's clear and dry. Can you read? It's murky and wet, I agree, but WMD is a possibility, and it is a reasonable inference to draw.

He also knows the premise (regarding WMD) prior to going into Iraq in 2003 was based on the notion of Saddam having an "active" WMD program -

That is not true. Read the War Powers Resolution.

The fact is the older WMD's we have found (shells basically) we know come from Saddam's late 80's production

Right! So, we agree: Iraq had WMDs. Thanks for playing.

They were not what President Bush had in mind when... [etc]

Wow! So you can read President Bush's mind? Amazing.

As for the notion "could" some WMDs (if produced) have made their way to Syria - I have never said that is an impossibility

Ok then why the hell do you argue with me?

The point is there is no concrete information suggesting such a thing

That is correct, there is no "concrete" information. There is simply sketchy, overlapping information, coming from multiply-sourced, mutually-reinforced reports that materials were sent to Syria. You also have quotes from David Kay such as,

“Some WMD personnel crossed borders in the pre/trans conflict period and may have taken evidence and even weapons-related materials with them.”

So, that WMD were moved out of Iraq, is a consistent, and reasonable, inference to draw from this sketchy data. I am saying no more and no less. What's your problem with that?

Again, do you remember the detailed list Sec State Powell provided to the UN (his speech was almost an hour long) - Yet much of this Intelligence turned out to be grossly wrong and or inaccurate -

Even if true that doesn't mean Iraq had "NO WMDs".

So one willing to be intellectually honest must admit that even with all that Intel we thought we had....we still didn't have a clear picture of the WMD situation within Iraq

I agree, of course. We didn't have a "clear picture of the WMD situation within Iraq". That would have been impossible; Iraq was led by a secretive, Stalinesque regime. It is notoriously difficult to obtain intelligence in such a context and nobody should expect otherwise.

So you and I agree, we didn't (and don't) have a "clear picture". What we do have are multiple reports suggesting that Saddam had something to hide and that WMD were moved to Syria. From this, I draw the reasonable inference that Iraq indeed had some WMD materials and moved them to Syria. That's my interpretation of what is known. If you don't like that, shove it!

Yet, with not even 1/10th of that Intel you are still willing to act as if Syria is a viable (if not strongly viable) notion to where Iraqi WMDs from an active program went -

Of course I'm willing to act as if Syria is a viable notion. Why wouldn't I be willing to act as if Syria is a viable notion? What the hell is your problem with my doing that?

Lets just say I'm glad we have men like GWB, Cheney and Rumsfeld in office - Men who look at actual facts and reality and don't simply chase "what ifs" -

I'm not sure what you're getting at. I too am glad that such people are in office. I trust they also look at facts and don't "chase what ifs".

But I don't "chase what ifs" either! What am I "chasing"? Explain that. I am a lay-person. I am a guy sitting at a computer keyboard. If I think that WMDs were moved to Syria... so the hell what? How is that "chasing" anything? I do not control troop movements. I do not pull the strings of our military.

So, I think that Iraq moved WMDs to Syria. SO WHAT? If I were in Bush's position, I would probably still think that Iraq moved WMDs to Syria. SO WHAT? Bush himself probably thinks that Iraq moved WMDs to Syria. SO WHAT? Noticed that DOESN'T mean he has ordered a full-scale invasion of Syria - and I'm not saying I would either!

Do you understand the difference between "thinking WMDs were moved to Syria" and "ordering a full-scale invasion of Syria"? If I were doing the latter - if I had the power to do the latter - then maybe you could accuse me of "chasing what ifs". But I don't, so what the hell are you talking about?

I simply think that Iraq had WMDs and moved some WMDs to Syria. There is no cost or bad effect of my thinking this. It has no effect whatsoever on anything. You seem to think it does. What is wrong with you??

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