Justifying the War (again)

[Cheeta]

Between the pro- and anti- hysteria, the actual reasons given by the US
administration have been muddied, in my mind at least. Apparently WMD weren't
used, links to 9/11 weren't used, and imminent threat wasn't used. They're
the main ones that my poor old brain had registered.

Can someone point me to the official reasons that were used *at the time*
(before the invasion) to justify the invasion of a sovereign nation?

I'm not looking to start a flame war about accuracy or otherwise, I'm seeking
facts (or as near as possible in the murky world of politics).

Thanks,
Cheeta

 

[lenharper]

The "official reasons" given at the time was that because Saddam Hussien had weapons of mass destruction he presented a real threat to the USA. At least that is what I can see on tapes of the press conferences given before the war started.

He was also given a deadline to step down from power. If he refused to step down the US said they were going to attack. Saddam did not step down.

And the US attacked.

 

[happygrump]

As well, he (Hussein) was under sanction by the UN, and was threatened that if he broke the sanctions, the consequences would be an attack. He continued to disregard the UN directives, pretty much guaranteeing an attack by a US-led coalition, probably as a way of solidifying Arab nations against the US... which he has done.

Pretty crafty.

 

[Don]

Mainly the now infamious WMD's. Here are some reasons given by a prominant US Senator:

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a
brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents
a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to
miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response
to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass
destruction... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass
destruction is real."
- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the
authority to use force-- if necessary-- to disarm Saddam Hussein because
I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his
hands is a real and grave threat to our security."
- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent
with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions
(including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond
effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of
mass destruction programs."
- Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin, Tom
Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998

 

[anon1]

He farted in this general direction.

 

[*d*]

-the reasons for war?
Because on Sept 11/01 the US changed.

On Feb. 24 2001, C. Powell said: "He (Saddam Hussein) has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbours."
But we all know that changed after 9/11. Powell started singing a whole different song about Saddam Hussein.