Region | Iraq

Residents still seek an answer on 'hidden' weapons

After five years of war waged against Iraq aimed at toppling Saddam Hussain regime, Iraqis still wonder if Americans found the weapons of mass destruction that were the main pretext of war.

  • By Basil Adas, Correspondent
  • Published: 00:38 March 20, 2008
  • Gulf News

Baghdad: After five years of war waged against Iraq aimed at toppling Saddam Hussain regime, Iraqis still wonder if Americans found the weapons of mass destruction that were the main pretext of war.

Osama Al Joburi, a former employee in the military industry during the rule of Saddam, told Gulf News: "After all these years, the whole world has the right to judge US President George Bush because he lied about Saddam possessing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs)."

Iraqis do not forget the days of hit-and-run through the United Nations Special Commission work in Baghdad, which was charged with inspecting Iraq for WMDs. Nor do they forget names such as Rolf Ekeus and Richard Butler, who led the international inspection teams and who played a key role in forging the belief that Saddam possessed WMDs.

Karim Al Faisal is a former Iraqi journalist. "The world must recognise that Saddam Hussain was sincere about WMDs and President Bush must apologise for Saddam even if the latter is dead. Americans have lied to the point that Iraqis themselves believed that Saddam possessed WMDs and had concealed them in Hamrin mountains or under the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers."

Salma Najimelddin, an activist in an Iraqi women's organisation in Hussain's era, told Gulf News: "We condemned Hussain and asked him to abandon WMDs .... But after all these years, no one found the hidden weapons. Hussain is innocent and ... each Iraqi who thought he is a liar should apologise to him."

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