Britain and US will back down over WMDs

[kskiska]

Britain and the US have combined to come up with entirely new explanations of why they went to war in Iraq as inspectors on the ground prepare to report that there are no weapons of mass destruction there.

The "current and serious" threat of Iraq's WMD was the reason Tony Blair gave for going to war, but last week the Prime Minister delivered a justification which did not mention the weapons at all. On the same day John Bolton, US Under-Secretary of State for arms control, said that whether Saddam Hussein's regime actually possessed WMD "isn't really the issue".

The 1,400-strong Iraq Survey Group, sent out in May to begin an intensive hunt for the elusive weapons, is expected to report this week that it has found no WMD hardware, nor even any sign of active programmes. The inspectors, headed by David Kay, a close associate of President George Bush, are likely to say the only evidence it has found is that the Iraqi government had retained a group of scientists who had the expertise to restart the weapons programme at any time.

Foreshadowing the report, Mr Bolton said the issue was not weapons, or actual programmes, but "the capability that Iraq sought to have ... WMD programmes". Saddam, he claimed, kept "a coterie" of scientists he was preserving for the day when he could build nuclear weapons unhindered by international constraints. "Whether he possessed them today or four years ago isn't really the issue," he said. "As long as that regime was in power, it was determined to get nuclear, chemical and biological weapons one way or another. Until that regime was removed from power, that threat remained - that was the purpose of the military action."

more…
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=441051

[ixion]

1. there, they admit it...

now charge the neocons with war crimes and get them the heck out of the WH.

[4dsc]

2. Can we impeach them first

then hold them over for war crimes??

Regime change begins at home!!!

[HereSince1628]

3. If that is what the Sundayspeech really says, watch the editorial cartoons

they are going to have a field day!

Its like a scene from Monty Python...would you believe the Iraq had bright children who could have been trained to be scientists and engineeers and who might have had interests in military science and might have pushed for weapons programs that would have designed weapons of mass destruction that might have been built making it possible for Iraq to threaten American strategic interests within 45 minutes at some time in the future?

[HereSince1628]

5. A Tony, BTW, didn't you say that hyping the WMD's would draw resignation?

Could you please provide a civilized example to Mr Bush? You know, submit your letter and then hold the door for Mr Bush?

The Virgin Islands are a really pleasant place this time of year, and even if a hurricance might pass through it is nothing like the time you and George are gonna spend in purgatory.

[JohnyCanuck]

20. Purgatory my ass,

Both Poodle and Dubya will be damn lucky if they don't end up in the pits of hell, bypassing the relatively less arduous trials of purgatory altogether.

[are_we_united_yet]

33. They're going

to the place the Devil will go when he dies.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

24. Going to need a longer list of "Would you believe..."

This would be funnier if the bastards hadn't started a real effing war with these lies.

[Sagan]

4. oh, ho! Not WEAPONS.. Not even PROGRAMMES..

But the INTENTION to create programmes. Wow. Such a stunning admission of incompetence is more than I ever expected.

[jrthin]

6. Why can't someone

replay the tapes of these two jacka@@es saying that "Saddam HAS WMD."

[VolcanoJen]

25. Cheney: "I don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."

What about the 45 minutes to deployment...

What about the Nigerian yellow cake...

What about the barrels upon barrels of chemical weaponry...

What about the free pass given by the press...

RECALL BUSH!!

[goobergunch]

7. I want nuclear weapons myself

does that mean that the U.S. will bomb my house?

;-)

[Malva Zebrina]

8. There is nothing to do but shed tears over this

thousands of innocents were killed--actually murdered--by Bush and Blair. Nothing is being done about this willy nilly slaughter because the persons who committed the slaughter are wealthy and powerful. There is nothing to do but bow one's head over the killing and murder or human beings for the sake of greeda and profit-this is a crime that has been done in our name-- there are those who are profiting--

I am not so sure that this country where I was born is worth of my support.

[TheWatcher]

15. If This Is True....If they are admitting they LIED.....

Then the people of this country must ACT.....

This is the most despicable crime in history, and we CANNOT, SHOULD NOT , AND BETTER NOT let this die......

We must FORCE our Media, our governemtn to show some accountabilty.....

Tiony Blair and George Bush MUST resign and be tried for War Crimes.....At this point I will accept nothing less.....

If we have reached the point where they can so cavailerly admit there were no WMD's, and admit EVERYTHING Was a lie, and we let this stand, then this country and everything our Forefathers fought for means NOTHING....

Let's get it out striaght and simple....

WE ATTACKED A DEFENSELESS COUNTRY, SLAUGHTERED THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE, SACRIFICED OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, AND DESTABILIZED THE ENTIRE GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE....

And for WHAT?.....

Some Oil, And a Few Pieces Of Silver.....

This CANNOT STAND.....

Dammit, this WILL NOT STAND.....

You are indeed correct this is WAR, Mr. bush, you intellectually void piece of DOG SHIT.....

And I hereby declare it on YOU.....

I have one question for everyone on this forum, and everyone in this country......

ARE YOU ANGRY YET?.....

TheWatcher

[CatWoman]

28. so very eloquent Marianne

completely agree.

[benfranklin1776]

41. Most eloquent. Thank you. I would add my feeling that....

the principles that our country is supposed to adhere to are certainly worth the support of all decent people like yourself who care about the sufferings of their fellow humans and who seek the preservation of basic human rights of all mankind. Indeed such continued support is absolutely critical if this country is to survive against this onslaught of reactionary barbarism which seeks to smother the flame of individual self determination of one's governance and to restore the allegedly "divine right of kings" to subject the citizens to the base whims of the ruling class. Your support for those principles is what motivates you to concern, and both are absolutely necessary if our country is to achieve its full measure of greatness by finally realizing for every citizen and every person on this planet the ideals which are professed in our governing documents. Thus your continued support of those principles is most assuredly and greatly needed. On the other hand, neither support nor respect for this administration, which has deliberately chosen to attack and undermine every basic principle and protection enjoyed by the citizenry in favor of pursuing a bloody, repressive, anti-democratic policy of empire building is required. To the contrary support of their impeachment and respect for those that have died for this monstrous perfidy is much more fitting.

[FauxNewsBlues]

9. In a Nutshell

There are people in Iraq with science degrees who from personal experience, or looking it up on the internet, who can create WMD's. Other than that, the program is shuttered. I know the press is going to want to give Bush & Blair a mulligan on this, but let's be serious. The chief reason we were told we were going to Iraq was because of the danger of WMD's. We said the U.N. was incompetent and couldn't find them even though they were basically in plain sight. Shrub lied. Thousands have died. A democrat with balls would bring up articles of impeachment first thing Tuesday morning when the house is in session.

[ewagner]

12. ...and least we forget...

Rummy even said we know where they are....

[Uzybone]

29. yes...he said

around Baghdad and Tikrit and north and south of there. At that point I knew they had nothing. Could he have been anymore vague?

[Laughing Mirror]

10. interesting also that Blair is "reluctant" to leave the country

reluctant? or shaking in his boots that some judge will slap an ICC war crimes warrant on him somewhere, a charge for which Bush is immune

[alcuno]

11. OMG. They were THINKING about WMD's!

I realize that this is not funny; that people have died and are suffering. However, there is an overwhelming amount of dark humor to be lobbed at this administration.

[Pax Argent]

38. They lusted after WMD's in their hearts

You're right. If this doesn't keep the comics working for years, nothing will.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Gee now we need

new and creative excuses for the disembling... I wonder if
Bolton et al ever get tired....

What am I thinking they lie for our own good, just ask Leo
Strauss...

[J B]

14. Scientists of Mass Destruction.

Need I say more!?!

[TheWatcher]

16. If This Is True.....If They are admitting they LIED.....

Then the people of this country must ACT.....

This is the most despicable crime in history, and we CANNOT, SHOULD NOT , AND BETTER NOT let this die......

We must FORCE our Media, our governemtn to show some accountabilty.....

Tiony Blair and George Bush MUST resign and be tried for War Crimes.....At this point I will accept nothing less.....

If we have reached the point where they can so cavailerly admit there were no WMD's, and admit EVERYTHING Was a lie, and we let this stand, then this country and everything our Forefathers fought for means NOTHING....

Let's get it out striaght and simple....

WE ATTACKED A DEFENSELESS COUNTRY, SLAUGHTERED THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE, SACRIFICED OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, AND DESTABILIZED THE ENTIRE GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE....

And for WHAT?.....

Some Oil, And a Few Pieces Of Silver.....

This CANNOT STAND.....

Dammit, this WILL NOT STAND.....

You are indeed correct this is WAR, Mr. bush, you intellectually void piece of DOG SHIT.....

And I hereby declare it on YOU.....

I have one question for everyone on this forum, and everyone in this country......

ARE YOU ANGRY YET?.....

TheWatcher

[arcane1]

17. so we went to war over "thoughtcrime", is that it?

fuck you BushCheneyRumsfeld et al, you don't WANNA know what I'm thinking!

:grr:


how many dead and wounded, over THOUGHTS????

:wtf:

[TheWatcher]

18. If THIS does not cause the Democrats to grow a SPINE, then nothing willl..

Our Leaders must REPRESENT us here.....

Our Government has NO CHOICE but to act now.....

If it does not then we know that it no longer serves the people, and we can pretty much figure out what that means.....

WE ARE ON OUR OWN.....


This is the biggest story in history.....We went to war for NOTHING.....

On Edit: I am so mad I cannot spell correctly

[Malva Zebrina]

19. think about it

parents of a tiny little, one pound fetus that was born immaturely, will go to to any extent to keep that one pound little thing that contains their genes, alive. The little, puny, skinny, thing weighs less than a whole chicken one buys in the local supermarket to roast for dinner. Yet the parents are willing to sacrifice everything and pay anything, to keep the thing alive. It's "aliveness" it's "humaness" is worthy even if it weighs less than the chicken we may buty at the supermarket.

But we killed thousands of real live, living human beings in Iraq, on a lie and for nothing

-there is nothing that would tell me their lives are worth less than the one pound prematurely born fetus, that takes thousands and thousands of dollars to keep alive until viable enough to sustain life on its own and whose parents are willing to do anything to keep it's life going.

We killed thousands and thousands of innocent human beings with our massive weapons--for what? On a lie--for what?

[BeFree]

22. Humans and anti-humans

This here regime is the most anti-human regime America has ever foisted upon the world. Indeed. It is a shame and a reason to hang our heads as this is of our country's making. It behooves us, therefore, to begin regime change, here and now. Luckily we have this here DU to remind us of our country's tresspasses and get us on track to a new day. And on that new day let us all proclaim: Never Again!!

[zbird]

21. What was he supposed to do with the "coterie" of scientists?

Did */poodleboy expect Saddam to a) let them leave the country, maybe to go to Iran or Pakistan or India, or b) kill them. That seems to be the only other options available.

Saddam may be crazy, but he surely isn't stupid. If he allowed the scientists to leave, chances are they would go to one of the above-mentioned countries, countries who are/will be nuclear threats to Iraq. If he killed the scientists, the rest of the world would have serious problems with that, and rightly so.

What better place to have the Iraqi nuclear scientists than in the "coterie". Even if Iraq never could reconstitute the programs, the knowledge held by these scientists would not be utilized against Iraq.

[LeftistGorilla]

23. wow...

it only took em a couple of monthes....
shame...

[lanlady]

26. Eureka! We found evidence that....

CHEMISTRY was being taught at Baghdad University!!

[MoonAndSun]

27. If you think the Muslim community hates us now, just wait until

they hear about this. The Western world will be a target for generations to come because of these evil, evil monsters.

If our world is to survive this atrocity, both the Democratic and Republican leaders will have to step up to the plate and denounce bush* for what he has done and either impeach or ask for resignation. Otherwise, our country will be seen as co-conspirators with bush*.

That is the only thing that might, just might, save us.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

35. I disagree...

The Western world will be a target for generations to come because of these evil, evil monsters.

Nope! That should read the US/UK/AUS will be a target, but not, for instance, my little "western" nation. No Muslim ever said he wanted to blow ME up.

Hell, Al Qaeda said that even Australia wasn't a target until they joined the evil alliance.

[Skip Intro]

30. They can't be serious

we've gone from imminent threat from weapons of MASS DESTRUCTION!!!! - to programs, not really a reason to rush to war - to "well, he he was obviously thinking about it" - ?????!!!!!!

How many people are fucking dead and maimed?

I did't believe bush about this whole thing at all, but to see the sad lengths they will go to defend thier perfect plans, never coming near admitting what is obvioudly true, I'm even more angry that they are such obvious frauds. They are so diculous with their lies, and people die on their words.

I do not see the American people buying this evil.

[Must_B_Free]

31. Yeah

they could have had those weapons plans developed weapons cooked up, put on missles and delivered...

ALL WITHIN 45 MINUTES!

This poves it

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

32. Revisions Of Revisionist History

Watch for the Buzz Words in the coming days. Before Bush started using the term "Weapons Programs", the trail was blazed for use of that term by the British and by Condi Rice who started using it. Bush then acted as though that was the established reason for the war and called any criticism that he had previously used the excuse of WMD for entry into war as revisionist history. I'm just anxious to see how creative the White House writing staff will be in coming up with a new term.

[are_we_united_yet]

34. Imagine that....

Keeping on scientist that in 45 minutes can design manufacture and deliver WMD to the USA.

OK! That is plausible.

(I assume the sarcasm indicator is not necessary here)

[jeffreyi]

36. Gee,

maybe this speech tonite is where ***** resigns...ya spoze?
Seriously tho...if Powell was smart he'd be outta there, wouldn't he?
Where are these 15-yr old hackers when we need them:
"President Bush's broadcast speech tonite was mysteriously interrupted in the middle by loud whistle sounds. Homeland security is seeking the perpetrators of this terrorist act"...

How does it benefit ** to have this info announced so close to the 9/11 date?

[Rex]

37. And still

nothing from the American media. My country doesn't want to know the truth! Just keep us in lala land. I'm wondering if Vietnam was like this?

[bvar22]

39. bush*/republicans admit that Bill Clinton was RIGHT!!

A stunning admission. If bush*/republicans insist that Sadam had the desire and intent to build WMD, but was unable to do so, the only POSSIBLE reason MUST BE THAT BILL CLINTON'S POLICY OF CONTAINMENT AND INSPECTIONS WAS 100 PER CENT SUCCESSFUL!!!

[kimchi]

40. Please tell me that Brits and Americans aren't that stupid.

Judas Priest, even the freepers with one brain cell can see the progression of lies.

[Merlin]

42. What the hell happened to all David Kay's bluster two weeks ago.

Seems like all the news everywhere was about David Kay's proclamaitions that he knew what we didn't know and he would find thousands and thousands of WMDs.

Just another in a long, long line of phony neocon predictions.