The Case of the Missing WMDs

You said:

Too bad Bush didn't use some other logic than WMD's. When none are found it gives the impression that he committed a breach of the truth (lied like hell). After chastising Blix for failing to find any and the fit at the UN, eating crow is hard to do.

Article says:

The debate to go to war was never about determining if Hussein did possess these weapons. Based on these past UN inspections, and his bold use of WMDs against the Kurds, Shiites, and Iranians, the world knew he possessed WMDs. Instead, the war was about the proper way to disarm Hussein, and to ensure he wasn't building new weapons. It was also about the proper way to punish Hussein for violating some 17 UN resolutions, including Resolution 1441, passed unanimously in November 2002 by all 15 members of the Security Council. Peaceniks seem to have forgotten this fact, as if his possession of WMDs was uncertain all along.

You did read this, right?

The point to be made is the WMD have been found, but it did not satify the media's requirements.

The various chemical weapons concentrations found in the river on the approach to Baghdad is a good example. It hit the media, flashed, and was gone to long lost archive before the war was over. Test showed Sarin, Mustard and VX gas, if I remember correctly.

Then there is the pesticide issue. Either Iraq has some pretty monstrous roaches, or the pesticides they manufactured that made the troops guarding them show the exact same symptoms as nerve gas exposure were a little overstrength. The troops were not just sitting on top of the drums when they found them, so I would suspect the Iraqi use of dual use technology is at work here.
(Pesticide can be easily converted to a Chemical weapon)

Why hasnt anyone in the media used some imagination and seen the connection between the strength of the pesticides used and the Chem Weapons issue. Pesticides and Chemical weapons sometimes share the same symptoms.It isnt out of the realm of imagination that the Iraqis used pesticide formulas with concentrations enough to kill humans as Chemical weapons.

I suppose the media wants the WMD's found to have big, blaring signs on them with a skull and crossbones that grabs them by the neck and chokes the bejeesus outta them before they declare it.

Most pesticides are nerve agents. They are WMD's for most insects. They are also WMD's for people who use them. There is very little difference between them and VX or Sarin. We have pesticides on the farm that contain small amounts of sarin. As far as the mustard and cyanide they caused toxic levels according to the tests. X-rays contain dangerous levels of radiation but they are not WMD's. What it amounts to is the use that these various substances are used for.

As far as I know, there were no weapons of mass destruction used by the Iraqis in Iraqi Freedom. Therefore there were no WMD's in spite of all the speculation generated before. Bush and his administration made the calculation that WMD's would be used. They weren't and they have been backtracking ever since and diverting to other subjects to spin the reasons we went to war. The lesson to be learned is that war is too important and destructive to be made on speculation.

As far as I know, there were no weapons of mass destruction used by the Iraqis in Iraqi Freedom. Therefore there were no WMD's in spite of all the speculation generated before.

The fact that there were (apparently) no WMD used doesn't mean "there were no WMD's". Not by a long shot.

Bush and his administration made the calculation that WMD's would be used.

So did, essentially, every single person in the Western world, pro- or anti-war. Everyone was saying that Saddam would use WMD against our troops. I certainly thought and feared so. It proved not to happen (seemingly), and certainly I wonder why.

They weren't and they have been backtracking ever since

Who's been "backtracking"? About what? Be specific. Remember that virtually everyone thought these WMD would be used. The fact that they weren't doesn't mean anyone needs to "backtrack".

When you pay for auto insurance, but don't have any accidents, do you need to "backtrack" and "explain" why you were "wrong" to gamble that you would get into some accident? Course not, that's silly.

The lesson to be learned is that war is too important and destructive to be made on speculation.

Yeah, I mean after all, just look at the horrible result we have caused: Hussein out of power.

TRAGIC

I suppose I'd agree that war is too important "to be made on speculation". But what "speculation" are you talking about? Who was "speculating"? Cite your evidence.

Further, war may be "too important", but so is not-war. That is, if you're so reluctant to pull that trigger that you wait till attacks are made on your own soil... uh, that ain't any good either.

There needs to be some kind of balance between the two approaches.

I can't believe the stretches that people are going to, to defend the half-cocked reasons for rushing to Iraq without thinking of the consequences. We have 200,000 troops tied down indefinitely with no end in sight. Sixty billion gone now and billions more to get out gracefully.

I thought it was ridiculous to see the Democrats prostitute themselves trying to defend the impeached President but it is just as ridiculous to see the lengths conservatives(?) are taking to defend their President. After the propaganda was shown to be false, the denial sets in and every sort of theory is advanced to protect the mistruths.

I can't believe the stretches that people are going to

Such as?

to defend the half-cocked reasons

Such as?

for rushing to Iraq

"rushing"? It took a damn year and a half.

without thinking of the consequences

Who says we "didn't think of" the consequences? I thought about them quite a bit. (Still supported the war.)

Deciding to do something is not the same thing as "not thinking of the consequences of" doing something. It's possible to ponder the consequences of doing something and still decide that, on balance, it's worth doing.

How strange that you didn't know any of this.

We have 200,000 troops tied down indefinitely with no end in sight.

As we knew we would. Nobody said the war on terror would be easy; Bush has repeatedly warned us that this would be a long struggle.

Sixty billion gone now and billions more to get out gracefully.

Billion what? Oh, money. Yes, it's expensive to fight a war.

but it is just as ridiculous to see the lengths conservatives(?) are taking to defend their President

Who are you talking about?

Can't be me. You can go back and read Post #31 and #22 (to you!) where I advise you to vote against Bush.

On other threads I've even stated that if he is proved to have lied then I'd have no problem with him being impeached.

After the propaganda was shown to be false,

What "propaganda" is that, specifically?

What was "shown to be false", specifically?

the denial sets in and every sort of theory is advanced to protect the mistruths.

Ah, you're the guy who kept using the word "mistruth". Now I remember you.

Is "mistruth" even a real word? Is it the same as "untruth"? In any event, I remember asking you long ago to tell me precisely which "mistruths" you think were told. For some reason you never did, you kept on posting to other people but not to me. Odd.

Which "mistruths" were told and how do you know that they were "mistruths"? Please be specific.

Your points are well taken, however I will disagree with the gist of the argument. That doesnt mean I dont respect your opinion.

You are a veteran and so am I. I hate war just as much as the next guy, and I think its the stupidest thing the human race does to itself.

I dont support President Bush when he is wrong, but in this case I support him fully. Read some of my Israel policy posts and you will see proof of that.

I think the mass graves are proof enough for me that we did the traditional American thing of promoting freedom. I think the Iraqi's joyfully pulling down statues of the idiot were also enough. I think the revelations of the horrors that the people over there endured are also enough.

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