Secretary Colin L. Powell, February 24, 2001

[fjc]

From about the second paragraph, in answer to the first question...

We will always try to consult with our friends in the region so that they are not surprised and do everything we can to explain the purpose of our responses. We had a good discussion, the Foreign Minister and I and the President and I, had a good discussion about the nature of the sanctions -- the fact that the sanctions exist -- not for the purpose of hurting the Iraqi people, but for the purpose of keeping in check Saddam Hussein's ambitions toward developing weapons of mass destruction. We should constantly be reviewing our policies, constantly be looking at those sanctions to make sure that they are directed toward that purpose. That purpose is every bit as important now as it was ten years ago when we began it. And frankly they have worked. He has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbors. So in effect, our policies have strengthened the security of the neighbors of Iraq, and these are policies that we are going to keep in place, but we are always willing to review them to make sure that they are being carried out in a way that does not affect the Iraqi people but does affect the Iraqi regime's ambitions and the ability to acquire weapons of mass destruction, and we had a good conversation on this issue.

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2001/933.htm

[arcane1]

1. damn, almost sounds like the world was "better off" back then!

Colin has sold his soul so many times I doubt he even knows who it belongs to now...

[Martin Eden]

2. Thanks for the link

I remember that Powell (pre-9/11) had minimized the Iraqi WMD threat, but now I have the proof!

[The Zanti Regent]

3. Belafonte was right!

This idiot has whored for the Nazi Party for so long that he's forgotten what the difference is between kneeling down and bending over!

[tom_paine]

5. Yes, Colon Foul is an odious Bushevik, bad as the rest

I know the Imperials would kill millions befre allowing themselves to be tried for war crimes, but I would still like to see Foul in the dock at Geneva next to his Bushveik Masters.

But of course, the Emperor would happily kill us all to forestall such an occurrance.

Which is why it will never happen.

But I can dream.

[Laughing Mirror]

4. Just in case the Secretary of State has forgotten

A reminder of what he said then and what he said later can be sent to him at this address:

http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_secretary.html