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Originally Posted by sob
Hmmmm. It's been clearly confirmed that Iraq negotiated to buy yellowcake uranium from Niger. Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Robert Byrd, Al Gore, Madeleine Albright, and John Kerry all stated that Iraq had WMDs, and must be stopped.
But the Bush-haters continue. Amazingly enough, they ask why Bush hasn't "dealt with" North Korea, although they already HAVE nukes. But preventing Iraq from getting them is bad.
I can't figure out why no one blames Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, who GAVE North Korea the nuclear material.
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Please back your claim that "It's been clearly confirmed that Iraq negotiated to buy yellowcake uranium from Niger".
Bush had support from Kerry and other legislators to:
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SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
(a) AUTHORIZATION. The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to
(1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and
(2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq.
(b) PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION.
In connection with the exercise of the authority granted in subsection (a) to use force the President shall, prior to such exercise or as soon there after as may be feasible, but no later than 48 hours after exercising such authority, make available to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate his determination that
(1) reliance by the United States on further diplomatic or other peaceful means alone either (A) will not adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq or (B) is not likely to lead to enforcement of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq, and
(2) acting pursuant to this resolution is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or persons who planned, authorized, committed or aided the terrorists attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-2.html">http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-2.html</a>
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Before Bush ordered the U.S. military to invade Iraq, he committed to seeking
a final resolution for war from the U.N. security council. When his administration determined that the votes for a war resolution from the U.N.
would not be forthcoming, Bush decided to forego the opportunity to allow
a security council debate on whether to end of weapons inspections in Iraq
and make the case one last time that war was the only option. instead, he
warned the U.N. inspectors to leave Iraq, and issued a macho, disconeected,
"you've got 48 hours to git outta Dodge (City) to Saddam and his 2 sons,
if an invasion of Iraq was to be avoided. Bush suddenly changed his agenda from ridding Iraq of WMD's, to simply ordering Saddam out of Iraq at gunpoint.
Bush was authorized by congress to determine whether <i>"further diplomatic or other peaceful means alone either (A) will not adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq ."</i> Bush failed to build an international consensus or a coalition for
war that could be compared in numbers or stregth to the one his own father
built to fight the Gulf War in 1991. Bush sought the authority to determine
if it was necessary to invade Iraq. Now he refuses to accept responsibility for
making an unjustified decision to take the U.S. to war.
[quote]Ending Inspections 'Not Reasonable,' Blix Says
Citing Iraqi Cooperation, U.N. Arms Official Asserts More Time Was Needed
By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 19, 2003; Page A17
UNITED NATIONS, March 18 -- The United Nations' chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, said today that it "was not reasonable" for the United States to end U.N. inspections in Iraq at a time when its government was providing more cooperation than it has in more than a decade.
"I don't think it is reasonable to close the door on inspections after 31/2 months," Blix said in his first public appearance since 134 U.N. inspectors were evacuated from Iraq, effectively ending a 12-year effort to disarm Iraq through inspections. "I would have welcomed some more time."
Blix voiced disappointment and sadness at the failure to complete the peaceful disarmament of Iraq, and said he was confident that Iraqi leadership would not dare to use chemical and biological weapons against U.S.-led forces even if the country faced certain military defeat.
"I doubt that they will have the will," he said. There are "some people who care about their reputation even after death."
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Blix conceded that Iraq has the technological wherewithal to develop chemical and biological weapons capable of striking at U.S. targets. But he said he doubted that the Iraqi government would risk an action that could rally international sup
port behind the United States.
Jean David Levitte, France's ambassador to the United States, told CNN today that French President Jacques Chirac might consider joining the U.S.-led coalition if Baghdad uses chemical or biological weapons against the United States.
Blix noted that Iraq's decision to allow more than 300 U.N. employees, whom U.N. officials had feared could be used as hostages, to leave the country today demonstrated a level of goodwill that convinced him it would show restraint in the face of an invasion.
"There is a fair amount of skepticism about armed action," Blix said. "That skepticism would turn around immediately if they used chemical or biological weapons. My guess is they would not."
Despite the apparent conclusion of U.N. inspections, Blix said he would provide the Security Council on Wednesday with a "work program" outlining the future of inspections. In the meantime, he added, he would "watch with great interest to see what [U.S. forces] find" in Iraq.
Foreign ministers from seven Security Council nations, including France, Russia and Germany, will appear at the session.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell will not attend. "Given Iraq's consistent lack of cooperation . . . it doesn't make a lot of sense to talk about future cooperation, future work programs," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said today. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A49075-2003Mar18¬Found=true">http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A49075-2003Mar18¬Found=true</a>
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