Washingtonwarrior:FACT: In June of 2006 the National Ground Intelligence Center, a Defense Department intelligence unit, released portions of a declassified report which stated unequivocally that “Since 2003, coalition forces have recovered approximately 500 weapons munitions which contain degraded mustard or sarin nerve agent.”
Yes, small quantities of long since inert agents manufactured circa 1980s were found, this was not what the administration assured us would be found nor was it a remote threat to the US. If they had presented it as we must go to clean up chemicals buried for the last decade, then no one would criticize their honesty with the American public, but let's face it, they made it seem like Iraq was still producing WMD faster than China produces plastic toys.
Washingtonwarrior: FACT: In a January 2008 report on 60 minutes, top CIA operative George Piro revealed that Saddam Hussein had phased out his biological weapons program since the 90s but was willing to go to war with the U.S., because he needed to continue the illusion that he had an active WMD program, as a hedge against his arch enemy, Iran. He apparently had no idea that the U.S. was planning such an exhaustive offensive, or he would’ve reconsidered that strategy.
For a guy so willing to go to war, he had no problem allowing weapons inspectors to audit his country.
Washingtonwarrior: FACT: Saddam was planning on restarting his program on every level (nuclear and biological), approximately one year after U.N. sanctions were lifted. This explains why he was actively approaching North Africa for the procurement of yellow cake.
This one is absolute malarky. The whole North Africa yellow cake fraud was why Cheney took revenge and outted the CIA agent (Valerie Plame). He didn't like that her husband (Joe Wilson) exposed the lie publically.
I'm willing to believe that he may have planned on restarting his programs if you have evidence to support the claim. Someone else's speculation is insuffient. It's like me believing you plan on creating an Anthrax filled Warrior of Mass Destruction because Old Man told me so.
Washingtonwarrior: This also explains why 550 metric tons
of the stuff was removed from Iraq in 2008 courtesy of the United
States of America.
While yellowcake alone is not considered potent enough
for a so-called "dirty bomb" — a conventional explosive that disperses
radioactive material — it could stir widespread panic if incorporated in a
blast. Yellowcake also can be enriched for use in reactors and, at higher
levels, nuclear weapons using sophisticated equipment.
The Iraqi government sold the
yellowcake to a Canadian uranium producer, Cameco Corp., in a transaction the
official described as worth "tens of millions of dollars." A Cameco spokesman,
Lyle Krahn, declined to discuss the price, but said the yellowcake will be
processed at facilities in Ontario for use in energy-producing reactors.
Washingtonwarrior: Long before Bush Jr was going to war, the same liberals who decried it, were agreeing with the intel and saying, “we have no choice but to take Hussein out.”
Bahh. They were just scared to be seen as Bin Laden lovers if they disagreed. Not that Bin Laden had a thing in the world to do with Iraq, the majority of the American public isn't educated or at least interested enough to know any better. Besides, how hard should it be to beat up on a third world country with a decimated military courtesy of Papa Bush? Even Dems had to believe it was a "slam dunk." At least the one's with more career aspirations than principals.