Hans Blix: Iraq Destroyed WMD 10 Years Ago

[MrRant 0]

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Former U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix now believes Iraq (news - web sites) destroyed its weapons of mass destruction 10 years ago and that intelligence agencies were wrong in their weapons assessment that led to war.

 

In an interview with Australian radio from Sweden, Blix said the search for evidence of biological, chemical or nuclear weapons would probably only uncover documents at best.

 

"The more time that has passed, the more I think it's unlikely that anything will be found," Blix said in the interview, which was broadcast on Wednesday.

 

"I'm certainly more and more to the conclusion that Iraq has, as they maintained, destroyed almost all of what they had in the summer of 1991," Blix said.

 

In 1991, the United Nations (news - web sites)' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found what it called a secret nuclear weapons program in Iraq. It spent the next seven years dismantling Baghdad's nuclear capability, until its inspectors were thrown out of Iraq.

 

Before ordering the invasion that toppled President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), President Bush (news - web sites) referred to an imminent threat posed by Iraqi weapons of mass destruction as a prime justification for war.

 

"In the beginning they talked about weapons concretely, and later on they talked about weapons programs...maybe they'll find some documents of interest," Blix said.

 

Blix spent three years searching for Iraqi chemical, biological and ballistic missiles as head of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission.

 

U.N. inspectors left Iraq in March this year as American and British forces prepared to invade. Calls for their reinstatement have been denied, with the U.S. occupation authorities preferring instead to set up their own body, the Iraq Survey Group.

 

After more than five months of searching, no weapons of mass destruction have been found by the Iraq Survey Group, which consists of about 1,500 experts.

 

U.S. officials said in July that the search had uncovered documents pointing to a program to develop such weapons.

 

But the U.S. media network ABC News reported on Monday that a draft report by the Iraq Survey Group provides no solid evidence that Iraq had such arms when the United States invaded.

 

The U.S. government has consistently said the search for weapons of mass destruction will take time and that it is confident evidence will eventually be uncovered.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Until some hard evidence is found, this is just as believeable as anything else we've heard. Although you think that if this was his hypothesis the whole time he would have said something back during the original deliberations over WMD possession.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

gee it's good he let us all know that before anyone made a hasty decision...like going to war.

[NoCalMike 0]

not suprising, but then again, right now little truth is being told about the middle east situation, so who knows how truthful this article is either.

[Dr. Tom 0]

I wonder how many pieces of silver Saddam paid him for that statement.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Some weapons are in Syria. Just a feeling.

[DARRYLXWF 0]

True Story: Last week I was taking a cab back to my house, and the cab driver just happened to be from Iraq, only moving here a few years ago. He went on a rant about how France and Russia are (or were) in cahoots with Saddam, and that they bought loads of WMD material and some already functioning WMD from Hussein a while back, and were probably continuing to do so up until his ousting. I told him that I thought the whole thing was highly unlikely, but he goes, "Heh, you not been to my country. You ask anyone over there and theyll tell you the same thing. France, Russia and Saddam are like gay triplets."

 

Gay triplets indeed. Had me thinking though.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Darryl, claims like that are only disputed by those who refuse to believe them.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Some Americans could say things like that about how things are conducted here to someone who lives elsewhere. They'd be none the wiser either.

 

But the gay triplets image has given me enough jokes for a week, so thanks for the story.

[dubq 0]

gee it's good he let us all know that before anyone made a hasty decision...like going to war.

That war was going to happen regardless of whether or not they found WMDs.

[Styles 0]

Gay Triplet! Its like The Butcher, The Baker, and The Candelstick Maker! (Im assuming the Russians make candlesticks)

[Vyce 0]

I wonder how many pieces of silver Saddam paid him for that statement.

I believe thirty pieces is the standard.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Former U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix now believes Iraq (news - web sites) destroyed its weapons of mass destruction 10 years ago

 

[Guest JMA]

Blix is probably right about the weapons being destroyed in the not-so-distant past. You have to wonder if they're just digging holes in the sand now... Which is not to say Iraq doesn't still have WMDs. I just find it to be unlikely.

[Dr. Tom 0]

The UN found it to be quite likely only a year ago. Then they got soft and decided an infinite series of "last chances" to disarm was the way to go, and sent in Blix -- who I maintain could not find his car keys if he dropped them in the middle of a spotlight factory -- to "search" for WMD. Saddam was very pleased at Blix's appointment. That should tell you all you need to know.

[Guest JMA]

So, you think Saddam paid him off? While it is possible (as are many things in this war and the events leading up to it), it sounds a little too conspiracy theory-esque to me. Besides, why doesn't we just withdrawl from the UN? I'm no isolationist, but I'm tired of having to go through all this political red tape involving other countries.

[Dr. Tom 0]

I doubt Saddam paid him off, really. It's one of those things that's possible, but not very probably. The "pieces of silver" remark was a glib jab at Blix's incompetence and the fact that Saddam was very pleased at his appointment.

 

I've advocated leaving the UN for some time now. Doubt we will, though.

[Firestarter 0]

Americans Rate the U.N.

Percentage saying the United Nations is doing a "poor job":

 

Men 72%

Women 55%

Conservative 69%

Moderate 60%

Liberal 59%

Republican 77%

Independent 61%

Democrat 53%

 

Click here for WSJ article

[Red Baron 0]

Americans Rate the U.N.

Percentage saying the United Nations is doing a "poor job":

 

Men 72%

Women 55%

Conservative 69%

Moderate 60%

Liberal 59%

Republican 77%

Independent 61%

Democrat 53%

 

Click here for WSJ article

ya but that is the majority of Americans, you guys like your blowing up stuff over reason.

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

Well, America is more powerful than the UN and doesn't listen to a thing it says, so it's not surprising the American people think badly of it.

 

Not that the UN says anything worth listening to.

[Guest MikeSC]

So, you think Saddam paid him off? While it is possible (as are many things in this war and the events leading up to it), it sounds a little too conspiracy theory-esque to me. Besides, why doesn't we just withdrawl from the UN? I'm no isolationist, but I'm tired of having to go through all this political red tape involving other countries.

We SHOULD leave the U.N --- but we'd have the inevitable "Hitler left the League of Nations" comparisons by much of continental Europe and we are not in the mood for that.

 

Just remember --- Libya (or is it Syria) is in charge of the Human Rights Commission and we had our seat taken away.

 

The group is a joke.

-=Mike

[Guest MikeSC]

Americans Rate the U.N.

Percentage saying the United Nations is doing a "poor job":

 

Men                    72%

Women              55%

Conservative      69%

Moderate            60%

Liberal                59%

Republican          77%

Independent      61%

Democrat            53%

 

Click here for WSJ article

ya but that is the majority of Americans, you guys like your blowing up stuff over reason.

And people in other countries and areas like other things:

 

France and Germany like business deals with despotic regimes.

Russia likes watching their own people die while refusing to allow anybody to help.

The Middle East likes stoning and killing anybody who doesn't follow all the rules to a tee.

Africa likes killing one another and allowing slavery to this day.

Canada likes being protected by us and blaming us for all of their problems

Mexico likes blaiming us for all of their problems.

S. America likes producing illegal narcotics and blaming us because they can't do anything else.

Asia likes smilin at your face while stabbing your back.

 

Wow, blatant stereotypes ARE fun.

-=Mike

[Guest JMA]

I think the UN is a good idea-- IN THEORY. But there have been lots of ideas that were good in theory only to turn out to be big mistakes. I just don't feel that America, at this time, should be involved with the group. Countries that have dictators, theocracies, or constantly violate human rights should NOT be in the UN. You can't stop evil and violence by making deals with the evil and violent.