Originally Posted by
mildawg
Salty, I could see your response when Tyler responded to you, so here's my reply: the reason Saddam having WMD was so dangerous was not because of the potential that HE would use them against us or our allies. You are correct, he would have seen hellfire like no one before him. This issue, which was clearly stated by the administration prior to our invasion, was the possibility that terrorists could get their hands on such weapons.
Yes, Russia, Pakistan, Israel, and India have WMD, to include nuclear weapons, and we haven't invaded. So why Iraq or why threaten Iran if they try to produce weapons-grade uranium? Well, that answer is pretty simple -- Russia, Pakistan, Israel, and India have control over their weapons and would stand to suffer just as much or even more if they fell into the hands of terrorists. Iraq and Iran? First of all, we aren't too confident in the controls that would be placed on such weapons -- both countries have been known to lose track of or sell weapons to less-than-savory partners. See the Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs) in Iraq right now. These are all Iranian-made IEDs that have been killing our troops. Yes, the GOVERNMENT OF IRAN has been providing these devices to the terrorists and training them on how to use them.
Normally, it would go against the grain that Shiites (Iran) would support any Sunnis (al-Qa'ida in Iraq, Ansar al-Sunna, 1920 Revolutionary Brigades, etc). However, that is exactly what Iran is doing. So, if they were to ever produce a weapons-grade uranium any other type of nuclear material, what assurances do we have that they wouldn't turn it over to terrorists for use in dirty bombs against us? Absolutely none.
This was the same boat we were in with Iraq prior to the invasion. Saddam would not let our inspectors in and did everything he could to convince us that he had restarted his WMD program (as it turns out, he had all the necessary components to restart his program, to include the scientists, but he had not reinstated it). Now, here's a guy who has gassed his own people and has been known to align himself with whomever provides the biggest benefit to him. We also know that he has WMD-equipped munitions in his inventory. So, what's to stop him from selling these to a terrorist with deep pockets as long as they aren't turned on his own country? How do we know that some low-paid, disgruntled Colonel in Saddam's army isn't going to sell some warheads when approached by a fellow Muslim carrying stacks of cash?
We had only a little over a year earlier been hit by one of the worst terrorist attacks in the history of mankind. We're in Afghanistan already fighting against these guys, who have already stated that they will attack us again and it will be worse than 9/11. Now you're faced with knowing that the most dangerous threat to your country and its people comes in the form of a WMD attack in a major metropolitan area. Given that you have a rogue leader known to have WMD, he has apparently just restarted his WMD program to acquire nuclear material, and he refuses to let anyone in to inspect -- what do you do? Stand by and hope that none of the above is true, or do you act to avert terrorist acquisition of WMD?
Of course, it was all just a bunch of BS Bush was using to justify going back in to get Saddam on behalf of his daddy. Why should he be worried about Saddam Hussein?