Well Dragon, yes they can. You see they are not dependent on the government or others making the assertions that there were WMDs in Iraq. They also have nothing to gain or lose from their findings. Inherently, this makes them independent of the people making the original claims as well as their own findings.
Furthermore, I think it is absurd to claim simply because you have an opinion on a matter that you can not be independent or objective (which is what I take it you actually mean). If that were the case objectivity would be impossible in any form. From a research prospective you always start with a hypothesis and work to objectively confirm or deny that hypothesis. The key having objective results is not to avoid having a hypothesis or opinion on the matter, but rather it is to be free from standing to gain from finding one way or another.
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"The courts that first rode the warhorse of virtual representation into battle on the res judicata front invested their steed with near-magical properties." ~27 F.3d 751
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