# Is Bush Counting On Saddam Unleashing WMD's Against US Forces? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 10, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-counting-on-saddam-unleashing-wmds-against-us-forces/160327 "2003-03-10T16:05:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-counting-on-saddam-unleashing-wmds-against-us-forces/160327/1 "2003-03-10T16:05:24Z")
Bush the Lesser is having a hard time justifying a pre-emptive war to his critics at home and abroad, because UNMOVIC has discovered scant evidence that Saddam is hiding weapons of mass destruction. He keeps repeating that “We know he has them”, but in SDMB parlance, the rest of the world is crying “CITE!!!”. Assuming that Bush is correct, and Saddam does have hidden caches of WMD’s, does anyone think he would hesitate use them against US forces if he thinks he is about to be captured or killed? Has Bush come to the same conclusion, and now feels he can go ahead with the invasion without world support, because he will be vindicated when thousands of American soldiers are killed by chemical, biological or nuclear weapons? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-counting-on-saddam-unleashing-wmds-against-us-forces/160327/2 "2003-03-10T16:26:00Z")
Nah. He ain’t that devious. Preparing for a WMD attack is certainly different than _inviting_ one. More likely, the goal is to overthrow Saddam and break his totalitarian control, which can allow individual Iraqis with knowledge of WMD programs to speak out and lead U.S. soldiers to stockpiles. They could even do so gladly if offered cash rewards and/or places in the provisional post-Saddam government. In any event, the American soldiers in the region are all volunteers and have been made aware of the potential threat. I seriously doubt any president would toss their lives away to make some political point (or if he tried, that the joint chiefs wouldn’t resign en masse) and in this case, the price of doing nothing to eliminate such stockpiles (if they exist) could be far far higher. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-counting-on-saddam-unleashing-wmds-against-us-forces/160327/3 "2003-03-10T16:26:54Z")
> [@](#): > > …because UNMOVIC has discovered scant evidence that Saddam is hiding weapons of mass destruction… [The latest in a long line of smoking guns, after the chemical warheads, long-range missiles, and new rockets: drones and special cluster munitions.](http://www.msnbc.com/news/883129.asp?0ql=csp) “Special” in this case means for biological or chemical weapons. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-counting-on-saddam-unleashing-wmds-against-us-forces/160327/4 "2003-03-10T16:52:04Z")
From Beagles link: > [@](#): > > U.N. inspectors have uncovered a new variety of Iraqi rocket that was apparently configured to strew bomblets filled with chemical and biological agents, The New York Times reported Monday, citing U.S. officials. The disclosure, **if verified** , could help bolster the U.S. case that Iraq remains in defiance of the U.N. order to disarm itself of weapons of mass destruction. > [@](#): > > The Blix dossier, which was circulated Friday, also said that Baghdad **may possess** about 10,000 liters of anthrax, Scud missile warheads filled with deadly biological and chemical agents, and the drones capable of flying far beyond a 93-mile limit. > [@](#): > > “The strong presumption is that about 10,000 liters of anthrax was not destroyed and **may** still exist,” he said. Far from smoking guns, it sounds like a lot of circumstantial evidence and speculation that bears investigation. Your cite strongly supports continued weapons inspections, not pre-emptive war. I stand by my judgement that the evidence has been scant. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-counting-on-saddam-unleashing-wmds-against-us-forces/160327/5 "2003-03-11T02:55:56Z")
I predict that when we invade Iraq, Saddam will use WMD against our troops, causing massive casualties. I also predict that GWB will then go on TV and say something to the effect of “See. I told you all that he had these weapons and was planning to use them against us.” And I also predict that some people will be stupid enough that they will follow his tortured logic and not realize that it was our invasion, and only our invasion, that would ever cause Saddam to use a WMD attack against us.☹ ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-counting-on-saddam-unleashing-wmds-against-us-forces/160327/6 "2003-03-11T03:07:32Z")
> [@](#): > > it was our invasion, and only our invasion, that would ever cause Saddam to use a WMD attack against us Umm – those WMD that he doesn’t have? ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-counting-on-saddam-unleashing-wmds-against-us-forces/160327/7 "2003-03-11T13:27:54Z")
Flip a coin. If heads, he has 'em. If tails, do an irish jig while throwing lucky charms into the year. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-counting-on-saddam-unleashing-wmds-against-us-forces/160327/8 "2003-03-11T20:43:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MLS \* > Umm – those WMD that he doesn’t have? I don’t think the question is whether or not Saddam has WMDs – odds are good he has something, if only for self-defense against hostile neighbors (e.g., Iran). The questions are (a) How many WMDs does Saddam have? And (b) can he be disarmed through non-violent means? George W. Bush is saying “lots” and “no!” Hans Blix is saying “dunno” and “maybe.” France and Russia are saying “maybe” and “yes.” And therein lies the dispute.