[Alberta's Child]

And, why is the burden on the U.S. and the UK and not Saddam Hussein and neigboring Arab countries?

The U.S. and the U.K. claimed that the Iraqi government possessed weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein and the neighboring Arab countries claimed that they did not. Hence, the burden of proof is on the U.S. and the U.K.

Making an accusation and then telling the target of that accusation to refute it (instead of providing supporting evidence yourself) is the epitome of "grasping for straws."

[Poohbah]

The U.S. and the U.K. claimed that the Iraqi government possessed weapons of mass destruction.

Based on incomplete intelligence and Iraqi intransigence towards inspections that they agreed to as the price of a ceasefire in 1991.

It was incumbent on Iraq to demonstrate that they had disarmed. They did not do so.

[dirtboy]

Hence, the burden of proof is on the U.S. and the U.K.

No, it was not, under the terms of the 1991 cease-fire and subsequent UN agreements. It was the responsibility of Iraq to come absolutely clean about its WMD programs.

Try again.

[hchutch]

Well, what were those mobile labs we recently found? I don't think they were for making baby milk.

[Dead Dog]

Maybe in the arena of public debate.

The bottom line is that Iraq was under a cease fire agreement, they were in breach of that agreement, and so the cease fire was lifted. WMD are just one of many reasons they were attacked.

[SunStar]

Making an accusation and then telling the target of that accusation to refute it (instead of providing supporting evidence yourself) is the epitome of "grasping for straws."

Well, then maybe we shouldn't have given Saddam 12 years to hide the weapons. In any case, he had the weapons in 1991, and since signing the Gulf War cease fire, openly agreed to disarm, and did not -- for 12 years. 16 UN resolutions accused him of failing to disarm, not just the UN and Britain, which acted on the UN's behalf. (Remember the 15-0 vote on Res. 1441?)

[Shermy]

Hence, the burden of proof is on the U.S. and the U.K.

Actually per the UN sanctions orders, the burden was on Iraq.

The subject matter of the sanctions, and why Saddam spent so much effort avoiding the requirements is a story unspoken in these type of articles. WMD wasn't created out of whle cloth, there was a context. If Saddam didn't have them why did he act so? Now that's a real investigative story.