Saturday, November 15, 2003
Reuters AlertNet - US has no evidence Iraq hid banned arms in Syria
US has no evidence Iraq hid banned arms in Syria
15 Nov 2003 00:47:51 GMT
WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on Friday it had no evidence that any of Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction had been hidden in neighboring Syria.
In an interview with WTVT-TV in Tampa, Florida, White House national security adviser Condoleezza Rice defended prewar intelligence on Iraq that Washington used to justify the invasion. Despite U.S. assertions that Saddam Hussein had chemical and biological arms, none has been found.
"The American people can be certain that we went to war on solid information, on information that had been gathered over 12 years, on a history of use of weapons of mass destruction, and that we are finding confirmation that this was somebody who hid his activities from the United Nations and intended to continue those programs," Rice said.
A U.S. team hunting for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was investigating multiple reports from Iraqis that banned weapons or weapons-related substances were moved across borders into Syria, Iran, and Jordan.
"I've seen reports, as everyone has," Rice said. But she added: "We don't have any evidence at this point that that's what happened."
Washington has accused Damascus of turning a blind eye to militants crossing into Iraq.
Syria has long been on the U.S. State Department's list of states that support terrorism, and Washington accuses it of seeking weapons of mass destruction.
15 Nov 2003 00:47:51 GMT
WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on Friday it had no evidence that any of Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction had been hidden in neighboring Syria.
In an interview with WTVT-TV in Tampa, Florida, White House national security adviser Condoleezza Rice defended prewar intelligence on Iraq that Washington used to justify the invasion. Despite U.S. assertions that Saddam Hussein had chemical and biological arms, none has been found.
"The American people can be certain that we went to war on solid information, on information that had been gathered over 12 years, on a history of use of weapons of mass destruction, and that we are finding confirmation that this was somebody who hid his activities from the United Nations and intended to continue those programs," Rice said.
A U.S. team hunting for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was investigating multiple reports from Iraqis that banned weapons or weapons-related substances were moved across borders into Syria, Iran, and Jordan.
"I've seen reports, as everyone has," Rice said. But she added: "We don't have any evidence at this point that that's what happened."
Washington has accused Damascus of turning a blind eye to militants crossing into Iraq.
Syria has long been on the U.S. State Department's list of states that support terrorism, and Washington accuses it of seeking weapons of mass destruction.
All articles in this archive are used under "fair use" as they are important to the national discussion of whether or not the people of this country are being deceived by their government. These articles are used as evidence in that discussion.
