BBC- The 9 Core reasons for war crumble

[protect freedom impeach bush now]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3063361.stm

Core of weapons case crumbling

By Paul Reynolds
BBC News Online world affairs correspondent


Of the nine main conclusions in the British government document "Iraq's weapons of mass destruction", not one has been shown to be conclusively true.

The confusion evident about one of the claims, that Iraq sought uranium from Niger despite having no civilian nuclear programme, is the latest example of the process under which the allegations made so confidently last September have been undermined.
The CIA has admitted that the claim should not have been in President Bush's State of the Union speech.

(snip)

Even a CIA statement of explanation issued late last week was not quite correct. It said that the President's famous 16 words were accurate in that the "British Government report said that Iraq sought uranium from Africa."
Mr Bush did not in fact simply mention a British "report" on the uranium. He actually said that the British had "learned" that Iraq had sought these supplies. He therefore hardened up the position.

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The nine main conclusions and the broad evidence which has emerged about them are these:



1. "Iraq has a useable chemical and biological weapons capability which has included recent production of chemical and biological agents."

No evidence of Iraq's useable capability has been found in terms of manufacturing plants, bombs, rockets or actual chemical or biological agents, nor any sign of recent production.

A mysterious truck has been found which the CIA says is a mobile biological facility but this has not been accepted by all experts.


2. "Saddam continues to attach great importance to the possession of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles... He is determined to retain these capabilities."

He may well have attached great importance to the possession of such weapons but none has been found. The meaning of the word "capability" is now key to this. .......

3. "Iraq can deliver chemical and biological agents using an extensive range of shells, bombs, sprayers and missiles."

Nothing major has been found so far. There was one aircraft adapted with a sprayer but its capability was small.
.......

4. "Iraq continues to work on developing nuclear weapons... Uranium has been sought from Africa."

The UN watchdog the IAEA said there was no evidence for this up to the start of the war and none has been found since. It is possible, though, that a case could be made from a shopping list of items ....


5. "Iraq possesses extended-range versions of the Scud ballistic missile." ......


6. "Iraq's current military planning specifically envisages the use of chemical and biological weapons."
......
7. "The Iraqi military are able to deploy these weapons (chemical and biological) within 45 minutes of a decision to do so." .......

8. "Iraq... is already taking steps to conceal and disperse sensitive equipment." .........


9. "Iraq's chemical, biological, nuclear and ballistic missile programme are well funded." ........


more.............