# If the U.S. does not find any bio/chem weapons will they "find" them anyway? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 6, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878 "2003-04-06T16:08:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878/21 "2003-04-07T00:52:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TV time \* > \*\*So much is riding on weapons of mass distruction being found in Iraq that the U.S. has to find some. My experience with intelligence gathering groups is that when something has to be found, it is, whether it is there or not? \*\* Believe it or not, I’ve been contacted by the government to help plant WMDs there. We plan to secretly ship to Iraq hundreds of metal drums full of excess Straight Dope Vitriol. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878/22 "2003-04-07T01:26:28Z")
And you were contacted as the best source? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878/23 "2003-04-07T02:22:41Z")
Just for the sake of clarity - when I derided the use of the word “believe” it was directed entirely at the authors of these wretched events. The Bushistas, if you will. I did not mean to imply that I was deriding _your_ use of the word. Just as you say, you were paraphrasing. Quite so. As Eugene V. Debs is my witness, I am _honestly_ concerned with trying to understand how those people think. Do they really _know_ such and such exists, or do they just _believe_. If the level of evidence they seemed to accept in the case of the forged uranium sales is any indication, I have good reason to be concerned. Are they mendacious, misinformed or not very bright? At any rate, I wasn’t dissin’ you, dog. I’d probably feel safer with you for President than him. Which speaks volumes. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878/24 "2003-04-07T04:47:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, if we don’t find them in Iraq, and destroy them, the threat posed to America by the certainty of their existence in Syria will be just as large as it was when the Iraqi’s had them. It’d be a betrayal of his oath of office for Bush not to occupy Damascus and remove these terrible weapons from the hands of brutal madmen once and for all. Well, **of course** it would. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878/25 "2003-04-07T05:01:38Z")
Having just watched the Wolfowitz question again on the late-night repeat of “Meet The Press”, this is the exchange: Tim Russert: “Do you still believe that Weapons of Mass Destruction will be found in Iraq?” Wolfowitz: “Let me put it this way: I have never seen the intelligence communities as unified on an opinion as this.” ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878/26 "2003-04-07T05:36:40Z")
**Sam** , your quote could mean anything. The intelligence communites could be unified in opinion on: a) they’re there b) they might be there c) they might not be there d) they’re not there e) you name it. Here’s one that’s a bit more concrete: [US confident of finding banned weapons](http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s826026.htm) > [@](#): > > “When this regime is gone - and it’s going to go, it’s on its way out - then we’ll have time to look carefully and with time for those things that we’re sure are there.” ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878/27 "2003-04-07T06:33:54Z")
Perhaps they have been [found?](http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/5573683.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878/28 "2003-04-07T08:05:36Z")
Perhaps they [haven’t](http://www.whittierdailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,207~24637~1305968,00.html). > [@](#): > > Elsewhere, according to one report from Knight Ridder Newspapers, U.S. soldiers evacuated an Iraqi military compound in Albu Muhawash early today after tests by a mobile laboratory detected the presence of sarin, a powerful nerve agent. > > But two subsequent tests overnight by the Army’s Fox mobile nuclear, biological and chemical detection laboratory were inconclusive, said Army 1st Lt. Kevin Bateman. He said the substance could have been a pesticide. > > "There’s nothing to be alarmed at right now,’ Bateman said, as the chemical unit moved on to test other locations. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878/29 "2003-04-07T09:44:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elucidator \* > \*\*At any rate, I wasn’t dissin’ you, dog. I’d probably feel safer with you for President than him. Which speaks volumes. \*\*OK, I’ll take your word for it. (Hey, wait a minute! Is that “Which speaks volumes” part a dig?) > [@](#): > > \*\*Peace. \*\* And peace to you as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-u-s-does-not-find-any-bio-chem-weapons-will-they-find-them-anyway/166878.md?page=1)