It's official: Saddam did not have WMD

Charlie Dulfer

"The former regime had no formal written strategy or plan for the revival of WMD after sanctions. Neither was there an identifiable group of WMD policy makers or planners separate from Saddam" tasked to take this up once sanctions ended.

Of course, Saddam didn't have a written WMD strategy or WMD policy making group--he feared disloyal insiders who might defect with this information. The dictator was careful not to provide the US a pretext for war.

This shows that Saddam got religion--he realized there was no risk-free path to developing WMD. Rather than seek another bloody confrontation with the US,

He hoped for improved relations with the United States and, over several years, sent proposals through intermediaries to open a dialogue with Washington.

In other words, a few more months of sabre-rattling and inspections--as John Kerry proposed--would have transformed Saddam into Gaddaffi.

People of honor admit when mistakes are made. Duelfer was brave to say, we were "almost all wrong". Unfortunately, the Bush team appears incapable of such honesty, preferring instead to deluge their base with peurile propaganda at the risk of incurring widespread global (as in including your own countrymen) ridicule.