http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/01/23/sprj.nirq.duelfer/index.html Read the entire article. At the end David Kay, Bush's hand picked boy to search for WMD in Iraq, says that he does not think the WMD ever existed. In the State of the Union Address Bush had downgraded his claims of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, to "weapons of mass destruction activities" or some such garbage. As one columnist said this week, next Bush will be claiming he invaded because nuclear physics was being taught in Iraqi universities. $87 billion of YOUR MONEY is going to Iraq this year and every year for the forseeable future to keep a lid on it. Think of what we could do with that money if it was spent in America. The sanctions had worked; Saddam was disarmed, and was no threat to anyone. There is nothing to indicate that he was allied with Bin Laden, and Bush himself said nothing indicates that Saddam was in on 911. It was an unnecessary war, and a waste of good old American taxdollars. But at least it is going to a good cause--it is keeping Halliburton solvent.
The long term benifits from having a democratic state in the middle east cannot be measured, there is more to this than just money. It's incredible how cynical you are. Were you this cynical about Clinton when he invaded Cosovo? I doubt it. Facts Rarely Reported About Progress in Iraq From the Commanding Officer at MWSS-171 to his Marines. Marines and Sailors, As we approach the end of the year I think it is important to share a few thoughts about what you've accomplished, directly in some cases, and indirectly in many others. I am speaking about what the Bush Administration and each of you has contributed by wearing the uniform, because the fact that you wear the uniform contributes 100% to the capability of the nation to send a few onto the field to execute national policy. As you read about these achievements you are a part of I would call your attention to two things: This is good news that hasn't been "judged" fit to print or report on TV. It is much easier to point out the errors a man makes when he makes the tough decisions, rarely is the positive as aggressively pursued. Since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1... The first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty. Over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens. Nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning. The Iraqi judiciary is fully independent. On Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518 megawatts-exceeding the prewar average. All 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open, as are nearly all primary and secondary schools. By October 1, Coalition forces had rehab-ed over 1,500 schools - 500 more than scheduled. Teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries. All 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open. Doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam. Pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700 tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons. The Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations to Iraq's children. A Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's 27,000 kilometers of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands of farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and women. We have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone services and over two-thirds of the potable water production. There are 4,900 full-service telephone connections. We expect 50,000 by year-end. The wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities and towns. 95 percent of all prewar bank customers have service and first-time customers are opening accounts daily. Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses. The central bank is fully independent. Iraq has one of the worlds most growth-oriented investment and banking laws. Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years. Satellite TV dishes are legal. Foreign journalists aren't on 10-day visas paying mandatory and extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for "minders" and other government spies. There IS no Ministry of Information. There are more than 170 newspapers. You can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street corner. Foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go. A nation that had not one single element - legislative, judicial or executive - of a representative government, now does. In Baghdad alone residents have selected 88 advisory councils. Baghdad's first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened when the city council elected its new chairman. Today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and professional organizations are electing their leaders all over the country. 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body in Iraq's history, run the day-to-day business of government. The Iraqi government regularly participates in international events. Since July the Iraqi government has been represented in over two dozen international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly, the Arab League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference Summit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening over 30 Iraqi embassies around the world. Shia religious festivals that were all but banned, aren't. For the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam. The Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects, large and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq. Uday and Qusay are dead - and no longer feeding innocent Iraqis to the zoo lions, raping the young daughters of local leaders to force cooperation, torturing Iraq's soccer players for losing games, or murdering critics. Children aren't imprisoned or murdered when their parents disagree with the government. Political opponents aren't imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam. Millions of longsuffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual terror. Saudis will hold municipal elections. Qataris reforming education to give more choices to parents. Jordanis accelerating market economic reforms. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an Iranian -- a Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for democracy and for peace. Saddam is gone. Iraq is free. President Bush has not faltered or failed.
He actually ends it with: Also as far as your stockpile quote is there a difference between stockpiling WMDs and maintaining or looking into the ability to produce them (covertly in some cases)? Particularly when you are talking about someone who has used chemical weapons in the past. Kay just mentions no stockpiles here. Cottonbowel do not just cherry pick the one sentence from Kay that you like without looking into all of them. I am glad you finally learned how to post a link. Maybe with time you will learn to post links that actually back up your claims. Kay in OCT 2003 about other non-stockpile issues. Link from CNN
Kay was all pro going over there and knew they were there, I saw him talk about that MANY times on TV before he went. I'll tell you where the weapons are, thier either underground somewhere but I have a feeling thier in Syria and Iran. Hey Cottonbowl, What do you say about the terrorist training camps over there?:cry:
There were NO Al Qaida training camps in the part of Iraq controlled by Saddam Hussein. There is nothing to indicate Saddam Hussein was allied with Al Qaida. Bush himself said that there is nothing to indicate Saddam Hussein had anything to do with 911. All Arab countries, and many Moslem countries have ties to the terrorist groups fighting Israel, like Islamic Jihad, and Hamas. Those are the groups that Saddam did have ties to. If we invaded Iraq because of that, when do we invade Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and the rest of them?
Not a bad idea. You seem like you are ok with terrorists killing jews just not with Americans killing terrorists.
the reason we invaded iraq was because iraq wasnt abiding by the rules of the '91 cease fire. that is why we dont invade syria and libya. wmd or no wmd, everyone, including the UN, admits that iraq was not abiding by the cease fire rules.
from what you hear from the media and the Dems you would think that is a false statement. They just don't like the idea of invading Iraq for any reason or anywhere else for that matter. They would just like to lob a few missiles here and thier and warn people and just the talk routine.
hopefully we won't have to as this effort in Iraq should send a message to terrorists and dictators around the globe. if not well hey I guess we might have to kick a few more doors in eh? LOL that should get you pretty hot.
