"Without evidence, confidence cannot arise."
Originally Posted by I B Hankering
I will not dispute the fact that "without evidence, confidence cannot arise."
However from your quoted source, I found the following February 2003 report of the U.N. Weapons Inspectors up until that point.
Since we arrived in Iraq, we have conducted more than 400 inspections covering more than 300 sites. All inspections were performed without notice, and access was almost always provided promptly. In no case have we seen convincing evidence that the Iraqi side knew in advance that the inspectors were coming.
The inspections have taken place throughout Iraq at industrial sites, ammunition depots, research centres, universities, presidential sites, mobile laboratories, private houses, missile production facilities, military camps and agricultural sites. At all sites which had been inspected before 1998, re-baselining activities were performed. This included the identification of the function and contents of each building, new or old, at a site. It also included verification of previously tagged equipment, application of seals and tags, taking samples and discussions with the site personnel regarding past and present activities. At certain sites, ground-penetrating radar was used to look for underground structures or buried equipment.
Through the inspections conducted so far, we have obtained a good knowledge of the industrial and scientific landscape of Iraq, as well as of its missile capability but, as before, we do not know every cave and corner. Inspections are effectively helping to bridge the gap in knowledge that arose due to the absence of inspections between December 1998 and November 2002.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/200...unitednations1
It is quite apparent that the Inspectors had successfully begun their task. However, it is equally clear they did not consider it to be a completed task. In effect, that clearly indicates the Inspector's needed more time. Thus, the request from the Inspector's to give them a few more months to complete their mission.
Unfortunately for us all, it is clear that The Shrub and Darth Cheney, made the decision to deny the UN Weapon's Inspector's request for more time. Less than a month later Shrubbie authorized the ill fated and ill advised Spring of 2003 invasion of Iraq, that ultimately led to the deaths of 4500+ American soldiers and at a cost of almost $1 trillion, that arguably became a prevailing reason for the September 15, 2008, Stock Market Crash that negatively impacted the entire world.
The rest is history!!!!!
Yep, The Shrub should have listened to the UN Weapons Inspectors as opposed to Darth Cheney!
BTW, thanks for providing the link, IBIdiot!