Straw: WMD report an embarrassment
Tuesday, June 24, 2003 Posted: 12:58 PM EDT (1658 GMT)




LONDON, England -- A dossier released by the British government in the run-up to an attack on Iraq claiming Baghdad had weapons of mass destruction was an "embarrassment," UK foreign secretary Jack Straw admitted.

Straw was answering questions Tuesday from the multi-party House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

It is investigating claims that the report, allegedly proving the regime of former Iraq president Saddam Hussein was in possession of illegal weapons, were overstated.

The reports have become known as the "dodgy dossier." The issue has dominated British politics and the media in the absence of any evidence of WMD in post-war Iraq, two months after the fall of Hussein.

The committee is examining, in particular, the government's statement before the war that Iraq was capable of launching such weapons within 45 minutes of an order being issued -- a claim widely disputed among some MPs and outside the government.

"Of course it has been an embarrassment for the government...," Straw said.

But he said assertions that the line about the 45 minute attack had been inserted at the last minute for political purposes was "completely untrue."

He denied British Prime Minister Tony Blair had said the threat was "immediate or imminent."

The dossier described "a current and serious threat, which is very different," Straw added.

Former minister Robin Cook, who resigned his Cabinet job in protest at the war, told the committee earlier this month the dossier released in September was "highly suggestible" and did not contain any evidence that Saddam had the capacity for WMD.

The threat posed by Iraq's illegal weapons was the main reason given by the British government for going to war, but inspectors have found no firm evidence of chemical, biological or nuclear arms.

Blair has resisted calls for a full public inquiry into WMD and has refused to appear in front of the more limited parliamentary inquiry, some of which will take place behind closed doors.

Former UK International Development Secretary Clare Short, who resigned from the Cabinet after the war, has also told the inquiry that Blair and U.S. President George W. Bush had made the decision to go to war last summer. Short said this was the reason why U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix was not allowed any more time to search for evidence in Iraq.

The U.S. Congress is to begin hearings into the intelligence case for war this week, but Republicans have rejected calls for a more formal inquiry.


http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europ...iraq/index.html

Doesn't seem like Bush is the only one getting bashed for the hasty action in Iraq...

quote:

Originally posted by Galapidate Doesn't seem like Bush is the only one getting bashed for the hasty action in Iraq...

Actually, as I was reading that article, I was thinking, "Too bad Bush is never going to be in this much trouble, as he should be."

Maybe some parts of the public are bashing Bush, like some on this forum, but he's never going to see serious political consequences for his actions, i.e. impeachment or something like that.

I mean, look at it, the Republicans are not allowing a formal hearing to happen.

quote:

Originally posted by Alccode Actually, as I was reading that article, I was thinking, "Too bad Bush is never going to be in this much trouble, as he should be." Maybe some parts of the public are bashing Bush, like some on this forum, but he's never going to see serious political consequences for his actions, i.e. impeachment or something like that. I mean, look at it, the Republicans are not allowing a formal hearing to happen.

I know and also because majority of senate/congress are republicans, and because here in America the americans are brainwashed making them believe that if you were against you were unpatriotic.

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quote:

Originally posted by LiquidX I know and also because majority of senate/congress are republicans, and because here in America the americans are brainwashed making them believe that if you were against you were unpatriotic.

Exactly. It is obvious that Bush would not be impeached or anything that radical because Republicans control Congress. However, has anyone noticed how it seems that the Republicans are "strangling" the Democrats so that they can't fight for some of these options? If it turns out that Bush was lying and there were no WMD, he won't be impeached or whatnot because of the Republican-controlled government. Clinton however was impeached because of a crime, but it was not a crime against the government. It saddens me to see how Bush can get away with this.

He's not gonna get impeached because the American people are not calling for his head like they were Clinton's. Apart from the fact that Congress is Republican, Daschal is TOO weak to stand up for the Democrats.

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It has to start somewhere,
It has to start sometime,
What better place then here?
What better time than now?
--Rage Against the Machine

I don't think it's a matter of the Democratic voice being too weak. I think it's that the Democratic voice is being smeared (for lacking of a better term) out by the Republicans.

quote:

Originally posted by Galapidate I don't think it's a matter of the Democratic voice being too weak. I think it's that the Democratic voice is being smeared (for lacking of a better term) out by the Republicans.

True, and then heaving Bush smack them down by calling them Unpatriotic, and all the ZOMBIE americans will just blindly listen and go against democrats.. psshh

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Upcoming:

Michael Andrews Feat. Gary Jules - Mad World (Grayed Out Mix)

quote:

Originally posted by LiquidX True, and then heaving Bush smack them down by calling them Unpatriotic, and all the ZOMBIE americans will just blindly listen and go against democrats.. psshh

exactly

I think the reason for the lack of voice in democrats is the fact they don't have a strong leader who is willing to bring up the WMD issue. They're all just pussies who fear accusing the war in Iraq will make them loose votes and political points.

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