January history on Iraq WMD

Two years ago, one year ago, and today...

At a photo op. where President Bush and Polish President Kwasniewski allowed a brief press availability:

Q: The weapons inspectors say they need until March, maybe six months, maybe a year. Is this what you had in mind when you went to the UN back in September?

PRESIDENT BUSH: What I have in mind for Saddam Hussein is to disarm. The United Nations spoke with one voice. We said, we expect Saddam Hussein, for the sake of peace, to disarm. That's the question: Is Saddam Hussein disarming? He's been given 11 years to disarm. And so the world came together and we have given him one last chance to disarm. So far, I haven't seen any evidence that he is disarming.

Time is running out on Saddam Hussein. He must disarm. I'm sick and tired of games and deception. And that's my view of timetables.

The Oval Office
January 14, 2003

From a White House booklet seeking to prove that Saddam is a rogue weapons possessor, worse than other states who voluntarily relinquished their stocks:

We have many reports of WMD material being buried, concealed in lakes, relocated to agricultural areas and private homes, or hidden beneath Mosques or hospitals. In one report such material was buried in the banks of the Tigris river during a low water period. Furthermore, according to these reports, the material is moved constantly, making it difficult to trace or to find without absolutely fresh intelligence.

What Does Disarmament Look Like?
The White House
January 2003

Fast forward a year. Dick Cheney was still standing as a true Iraq WMD hawk:

We know, for example, that prior to our going in that he had spent time and effort acquiring mobile biological weapons labs, and we're quite confident he did, in fact, have such a program. We've found a couple of semi trailers at this point which we believe were, in fact, part of that program. Now it's not clear at this stage whether or not he used any of that to produce or whether he was simply getting ready for the next war. That, in my mind, is a serious danger in the hands of a man like Saddam Hussein, and I would deem that conclusive evidence, if you will, that he did, in fact, have programs for weapons of mass destruction.

Dick Cheney
Unchallenged interview with Juan Williams
NPR's Morning Edition
January 22, 2004

Then at another photo op. where President Bush and Polish President Kwasniewski allowed a brief press availability, also in January 2004:

Q: Mr. President, a year ago you said the dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction. Are you still confident that weapons of mass destruction will be found in Iraq, given what Dr. Kay has said?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Let me first compliment Dr. Kay for his work. I appreciate his willingness to go to Iraq and I appreciate his willingness to gather facts. And the Iraq Survey Group will continue to gather facts.

There is no doubt in my mind that Saddam Hussein was a gathering threat to America and others. That's what we know. We know from years of intelligence -- not only our own intelligence services, but other intelligence gathering organizations -- that he had weapons -- after all, he used them. He had deep hatred in his heart for people who love freedom. We know he was a dangerous man in a dangerous part of the world. We know that he defied the United Nations year after year after year. And given the events of September the 11th, we know we could not trust the good intentions of Saddam Hussein, because he didn't have any.

There is no doubt in my mind the world is a better place without Saddam Hussein. America is more secure, the world is safer, and the people of Iraq are free.

The Oval Office
January 27, 2004

Today The Washington Post reports in Search for Banned Arms In Iraq Ended Last Month:

The hunt for biological, chemical and nuclear weapons in Iraq has come to an end nearly two years after President Bush ordered US troops to disarm Saddam Hussein. The top CIA weapons hunter is home, and analysts are back at Langley.

In interviews, officials who served with the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) said the violence in Iraq, coupled with a lack of new information, led them to fold up the effort shortly before Christmas.

Washington Post
January 12, 2005

I guess this is as fresh as the intelligence gets in this exercise of games, deception and other official mendacity. Please see an excellent post by Rodger Payne for additional pithy comments and more links.

Update 1/13/2005: I remembered and added the Cheney quote.