No. I'm saying it's a possibility, based on these reports we're hearing.
You're saying it's an impossibility, that you KNOW these reports don't describe WMD etc.
Hey, correct me if I'm wrong but that's what it sounds like you're saying.
The notion that all sorts of things could have been in those convoys escapes you completely....no it had to be WMDs....that is just silly
I'm not saying it "had to" be WMD. I'm saying it could have been. Do you disagree?
You are assuming based on even less Intel that WMDs have been moved to Syria.
I'm not "assuming". I'm drawing the most reasonable inference from the data at hand. What's your problem with that?
The only problem you could have with that would be if you claimed to KNOW that WMD were NOT moved to Syria. Is that what you're claiming? It sure seems like it.
[Duelfer report] No - those WMDs were from Saddam's late 80's development
Can you point out where it says that in the Duelfer report? Thanks.
Anyway, I suspect you're right, the shells found came from "old" development. SO WHAT? WMD are WMD. So you can't go around saying we've found "NO WMD". Capisce?
But I never said there were no WMDs from the late 80's - the point was from an "active" WMD program
First of all you DID say - repeatedly - that we've found "NO WMD". Now you admit this was wrong. Now you say that you only meant that we've found no WMD that were created after such and such magical date.
Second of all, who the heck cares when the WMD were created? Is that where your goalposts are?
That is what you cannot answer if your premise is correct - Why hasn't the WH declared "we found them!"
The Duelfer report does. It reports that we've found 53. That not good enough for you?
Why didn't GWB say this at all to the American public during an ENTIRE ELECTION -
Because he knew he could win without wading into this WMD mess? Anyway, this calls for speculation as to GWB's psychology. Has nothing to do with the material issue of whether WMDs were in Iraq. They were, and you admit as much.
Weaponized Anthrax, Weaponized Mustard Gas with both leave off an chemical residual that is traceable up to 12 to 18 months after it has been cleaned / removed.
If the anthrax is in some sort of applicator or container, in a warehouse - and then the container is moved - there will be "residuals" in the warehouse?
If the mustard gas is in some sort of shell, in a warehouse - and then the shell is moved - there will be "residuals" in the warehouse?
You know what? I don't think so. This gets back to my "A to B to C" thought experiment.
I agree there will be residuals in location A (where the stuff was created and loaded). But not at B. So, say we examine a suspected location B (where we think shells etc. were stored). We find no "residuals". But this tells us NOTHING if the weapons were manufactured at a site A that we don't know about, and then moved to a site C (e.g. Syria) we have no access to.
Entire scientist's and staff (and family of both) cannot all reasonably be assumed to have just "left"
Ok so this is back to saying that Iraq had no WMD programs because no witnesses have told us Iraq had WMD programs. In case it's not clear, I am... less than impressed with this reasoning. Your mileage may vary.
Anyway, you've admitted that Iraq had WMDs so I'm not sure why you think the goalposts need to be placed at Iraq having had "active programs". Whether one agrees with your or my interpretation, the fact remains that Iraq was in violation of UN Resolution 1441. Beyond that, you and I can look at the data and draw different inferences.
Bye,
Because he knew he could win without wading into this WMD mess?
This shows clearly where your opinion doesn't hold up - What mess is there if it is as clear and dry as you claim?? - There would be no mess - President GWB would have just addressed the Nation and won reelection very easily. Both GWB and Cheney would not have sat back and been grilled in TV shows to every WMD question if it were as clear and dry as you claim. That is just silly for you to suggest he didn't want to wade into the "WMD mess" - Just ridiculous.
Wait, it is because President GWB is an man of integrity and honesty - He knows that the World was well aware of Saddam's late 80's WMD production (and aware of much of its destruction) - 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 -
And that is where you can't stay consistent (or where you act like you know better than President Bush and VP Cheney).
The fact is the older WMD's we have found (shells basically) we know come from Saddam's late 80's production - They were not what President Bush had in mind when CIA director Tent told him finding an active WMD program within Iraq was a SLAM DUNK -
This is why President GWB never claimed "we found them" nor did VP Cheney - Because they know that is not being intellectually honest as to what were expecting to find -
As for the notion "could" some WMDs (if produced) have made their way to Syria - I have never said that is an impossibility (heck, they also could be right down the street from me as well) - The point is there is no concrete information suggesting such a thing - There isn't even adequate information suggesting such -
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 -
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 - 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 -
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" -
As for Saddam not abiding by UN 1441 - We are in complete agreement - I have said over and over removing Saddam from office was the right thing to do - The World is safer because of it - I have also stated we have fought the most successful unconventional war in history -