One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to
develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them.
That is our bottom line." --President Bill Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998
"If
Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We
want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass
destruction program." --President Bill Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998
"Iraq
is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal
here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear,
chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest
security threat we face." --Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998
"He
will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times
since 1983." --Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb,
18, 1998
"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and
consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary
actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect
Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's
refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." Letter to
President Clinton, signed by: -- Democratic Senators Carl Levin, Tom
Daschle, John Kerry, and others, Oct. 9, 1998
"Saddam Hussein
has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction
technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made
a mockery of the weapons inspection process." -Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D,
CA), Dec. 16, 1998
"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money
on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."
-- Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999
"There
is no doubt that ... Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons
programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear
programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In
addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is
doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop
longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our
allies." Letter to President Bush, Signed by: -- Sen. Bob Graham (D,
FL), and others, Dec 5, 2001
"We begin with the common belief
that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability
of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is
building weapons of mass destruction and th! e means of delivering
them." -- Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002
"We know that
he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons
throughout his country." -- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
"Iraq's
search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter
and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in
power." -- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
"We have known for many
years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass
destruction." -- Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002
"The
last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are
confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and
biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to
build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence
reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..." -- Sen. Robert
Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002
"I will be voting to give the
President of the United States the authority to use force -- if
necessary -- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly
arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave
threat to our security." -- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002
"There
is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to
develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the
next five years ... We also should remember we have always
underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons
of mass destruction." -- Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002
"He
has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years,
every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and
destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity.
This he has refused to do" -- Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002
"In
the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show
that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological
weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear
program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists,
including al Qaeda members ... It is clear, however, that if left
unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to
wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop
nuclear weapons." -- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002
"We
are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam
Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity
for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." -- Sen.
Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002
"Without question, we need to
disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an
oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat
because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is
miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his
consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of
Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real..." -- Sen.
John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003
