Saddam Withheld Evidence That Iraq Had No WMD to Deter Invasion, Aide Says

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA9MGXVUID.html

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A close aide to Saddam Hussein says the Iraqi dictator did in fact get rid of his weapons of mass destruction but deliberately kept the world guessing about it in an effort to divide the international community and stave off a U.S. invasion.

The strategy, which turned out to be a serious miscalculation, was designed to make the Iraqi dictator look strong in the eyes of the Arab world, while countries such as France and Russia were wary of joining an American-led attack. At the same time, Saddam retained the technical know-how and brain power to restart the programs at any time.

Both Pentagon officials and weapons experts are considering this guessing-game theory as the search for chemical, biological and nuclear weapons continues. If true, it would indicate there was no imminent unconventional weapons threat from Iraq, an argument President Bush used to go to war.

Saddam's alleged weapons bluff was detailed by an Iraqi official who assisted Saddam for many years. The official was not part of the national leadership but his job provided him daily contact with the dictator and insight into the regime's decision-making process during the past decade and in its critical final days.

more

[Q]

1. Whew. I guess Bush* is off the hook...

...or so says the free press.

[rocktivity]

2. Huh?

rocknation

[zbdent]

3. Wouldn't surprise me, bullies like Bush (and company)

can't stand to take on anybody who might fight back enough to bloody their noses.

Now that Bush is in it up to his ankles (dove in headfirst), he can't do anything but keep pushing, or else he will lose face (and quite possibly) his own freedom.

[w4rma]

4. Grasping at straws...

:eyes:

[Lugnut]

5. The funny thing is...

Those were my suspicions from the beginning.

[tpub]

8. Mine, too!

He wasn't THAT stupid. He was calculated and knew what he was doing, trying to scare the world, it just didn't work out in the end...

[leesa]

11. Ummm...his contention was that he had no weapons

how did you jump to this farcical fantasy?

[patdem]

19. Exactly, remember everytime Sadaam said he had no WMD

bush* would jump in and say...see his denial of WMD is PROOF of his deception??? bush* refused to take NO WMD for an answer!!!

[shockingelk]

13. not a new theory, tried to find bookmark

but this scenario has been discussed. The article I'm thinking of stressed the desire by Hussein for his own population to believe he had WMD to deter an uprising ...

[SOS]

6. Ex-CIA Mid-East

agent Robert Baer said the exact same thing on Maria Bartaromo's show this past week. Said Hussein had no WMD, but tried to bluff in an effort to avoid attack by US. Baer called Hussein "the worst poker player in the world."

[annagull]

7. I seem to remember Saddam inviting the CIA to come

and check out the fact that they had no WMDs. That is what he was telling the inspectors, those congressmen who went to Iraq before the war, anybody who would listen. Bush* called him a liar, the inspectors useless, and Iraq an imminent threat and went in. Geez, that was only 6 months ago, do they really think we're that stupid?

[wabeewoman]

9. Ummmmm hummm

And weren't they (bush administration) saying a few weeks ago that saddam didn't prove he didn't have WMD? There was nothing saddam could have done because bush was determined to attack. I believe ari the liar even said we'd still attack even if saddam left. More smoke and mirrors....

[leesa]

10. Funny, I remember him stating he had no weapons

What kind of crap is this? Now we are blaming Saddam because he disarmed and was in compliance with the UN????

[indictrichardperle]

15. thats right

the latest desperate spin "Saddam tricked us"


BULLSHIT

[Laughing Mirror]

12. who might this "Iraqi official who assisted Saddam for many years" be?

Donald Rumsfeld?

edit subject

[ParanoidPat]

14. So when Saddam filed the report required by the UN under 1441.....

....where he claimed to have destroyed ALL of the weapons and dismantled ALL of the weapons programs he withheld evidence? :crazy:
So what exactly was in the pages redacted by the US Government? :shrug:

They will say and do anything.........and they think we don't notice? x(

God they're getting desperate! :evilgrin:

[mmm]

16. Whaaaaa?

mmm

[liberalmuse]

17. Oh please!

They're blaming Saddam for lying about WMD's now, when it was Bush who did the lying. I distincly remember the Iraqi regime denying they had WMD's. Responsibility, my ass.

[govegan]

18. Know How

the critical point hath been made.

know how?

when the bishops bring the solemn vow

when sends the brutal force of now

the dictatorial agent screams at the moon

we had the weapons, but no full moon!

And solemn cries the sullen loon

sinks blood and bones, teeth and groans

hair and nail, volcanic cones.

He was here, came and went

without the death of his final days.

No putrid essence of staged event

could cloud the ever salty gaze

fathoms down, fathoms down, fathoms down

deep, no one sees over the sudden heap.

Building petrified machines and sobbing razor blades.

The former leader,

who has now succumbed to somnambulent everglades

sends revelatory grievance

"retained the technical know-how"

glowing embers of shattered rings

bought over-priced revelations

"and brain power to restart the programs at any time."

While two-fingered monkeys

recited the Koran,

three-eared jackals

chased tail and ran.