Weapons Report

The nightly network news gave major attention yesterday to a new report by chief weapons inspector Charles Duelfer that concludes Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction. Of course, the “findings” were used to criticize the president and his decision to go to war. But let's do a “reality check.”

First, President Bush made a decision based on the intelligence information he had at the time. Congress concurred with that decision when it voted to authorize the use of force. Second, no one could know with certainty what weapons Hussein possessed until we liberated Iraq. Third, the Duelfer report makes it clear that Hussein's goal was to produce weapons of mass destruction as soon as he could. If we had waited until he had them, the cost of dealing with him would have been much higher in lives and treasure!

Finally, the media virtually ignored another major finding by Mr. Duelfer. He found that the “oil for food” program -meant to help the Iraqi people – was being used by Hussein to payoff foreign leaders so that they would oppose the United States! For example, French government officials, businessmen and journalists received $1.78 billion in exchange for their efforts to have the sanctions against Iraq lifted. These payoffs at least partially explain why France opposed us every step of the way at the United Nations. Anyone who thinks diplomacy under these circumstances could have ever worked is delusional. And it shows the danger of entrusting our security to corrupt foreign committees!

– Gary Bauer