- Jan 12, 2003
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As you guys would say, "Man, what a "fvcking liar, eh?" ...but a good read nevertheless, aside from the WMD snafu.
We began with this basic proposition - Saddam Hussein must not be allowed to develop nuclear arms, poison gas, biological weapons or the means to deliver them.
He has used such weapons before against soldiers and civilians, including his own people. We have no doubt that if left unchecked, he would do so again.
Saddam must not be prepared to defy the will - be permitted, excuse me, to defy the will of the international community. Without a firm response, he would have been emboldened to do that again and again.
Our objectives in this military action were clear: to degrade Saddam's weapons of mass destruction programme and related delivery systems as well as his capacity to attack his neighbours.
So long as Saddam remains in power, he will remain a threat to his people, his region and the world.
With our allies, we must pursue a strategy to contain him and to constrain his weapons of mass destruction programme while working toward the day Iraq has a government willing to live at peace with its people and with its neighbours.
Let me describe the elements of that strategy going forward.
First, we will maintain a strong military presence in the area, and we will remain ready to use it if Saddam tries to rebuild his weapons of mass destruction, strikes out at his neighbours, challenges allied aircraft or moves against the Kurds.
As you guys would say, "Man, what a "fvcking liar, eh?" ...but a good read nevertheless, aside from the WMD snafu.