The principal claims justifying the invasion of Iraq - that Saddam Hussein had biological and chemical weapons and was developing nuclear weapons - were fundamentally wrong and the result of a "global intelligence failure", a Senate investigation concluded yesterday.If you want to read them yourself, here are links to PDF versions of the report [from the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence]:
"We went into Iraq based on false claims," said Senator Jay Rockefeller, one of the authors of yesterday's report on the debacle, said. He added that he now regretted his vote in October 2002 to support the war.
"The fact is that the administration, at all levels ... used bad information to bolster its case for war, and we in Congress would not have authorised that war ... if we knew what we know now," Mr Rockefeller said.
Pat Roberts, the Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, insisted the war was still justified on humanitarian grounds, to liberate the Iraqi people. He also argued that the intelligence failure was not solely the fault of the CIA.
"While we did not specifically address it in our report, it is clear that this group-think also extended to our allies and to the United Nations and several other nations as well, all of whom did believe the Saddam Hussein had active WMD programs," Mr Roberts said. "This was a global intelligence failure."
Father, let me dedicate All this year to you
In whatever earthly state You will have me be
Not from sorrow, pain, or care Freedom dare I claim;
This alone shall be my prayer: Glorify Your name.
--from New Year's Hymn by Lawrence Tuttiett, 1864 (alt.)
In whatever earthly state You will have me be
Not from sorrow, pain, or care Freedom dare I claim;
This alone shall be my prayer: Glorify Your name.
--from New Year's Hymn by Lawrence Tuttiett, 1864 (alt.)
