On or about Fri, 16 Jan 2004 13:06:23 +1100, "L'acrobat"
allegedly uttered:


"Peter Kemp" peter_n_kempathotmaildotcom@ wrote in message
.. .
Well, from the UK point of view (where "regime change" was a bad
phrase to use), the reason for going to war was the *immediate threat*
of the WMD, which at the time I supported.

A couple of dozen 120mm mortar shells in the condition that these were
found are a threat to no one except the poor buggers who have to clean
them up. Hardly worth dozens (let alone hundreds) of your own soldiers
paying the big price.

Well you seem to be ignoring the fact that they would have been workable
when cached and Saddam was required to disclose the lot.

Not at all. That wasn't my point. The point was, when we went to war
there is currently no evidence that there was a viable threat. Was
Saddam a bad man, no doubt. Did he want WMD, absolutely. Was there an
active program in the last year? Unproven.

IMO he was preparing for a new WMD production program to be launched
when sanctions were lifted, but only a little R&D until then.


---
Peter Kemp

Life is short - Drink Faster