Bush: Saddam was a danger to the world
The search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq made clear that Saddam Hussein had deceived the international community and was “a danger to the world,” President George Bush said today.
While the initial report of US weapons hunter David Kay says he found no weapons of mass destruction, Bush said the investigation showed that Saddam was violating UN resolutions demanding that he disarm.
“So he’s no longer in power and the world is better for it,” the president said.
Bush seized on possible evidence of covert programmes to make illegal weapons and said that extensive work remains to be done.
“But these findings already make clear that Saddam Hussein actively deceived the international community, that Saddam Hussein, was in clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1441 and that Saddam Hussein was a danger to the world,” he said.
The president brushed aside a poll that said public confidence in his ability to deal wisely with an international crisis had dropped sharply.
“Sometimes the American people like the decisions I make, sometimes they don’t,” he said. “But they need to know I’ll make tough decisions based upon what I think is right.”
Kay insisted he needed another six to nine months of searching before he would feel confident enough to issue any conclusions about Iraq’s weapons programme.
The Bush administration is asking for €515m to continue the search, according to congressional officials.
“We have not found at this point actual weapons,” Kay said after briefing Congress behind closed doors in Washington. “It does not mean we’ve concluded there are no actual weapons.”
In a statement to several congressional committees he only made one strong finding, that Saddam’s regime was actively developing missiles that exceeded range limits imposed by the United Nations.
“In addition to intent, we have found a large body of continuing activities and equipment that were not declared to the UN inspectors when they returned in November of last year,” Kay said.
