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War, Whatever

Bush Aide: Inspections Or Not, We'll Attack Iraq

Exclusive By Paul Gilfeather, Whitehall Editor

Daily Mirror UK

 

Friday, 22 November, 2002

 

George Bush's top security adviser last night admitted the US would attack Iraq

even if UN inspectors fail to find weapons.

 

Dr Richard Perle stunned MPs by insisting a " clean bill of health " from UN chief

weapons inspector Hans Blix would not halt America's war machine.

 

Evidence from ONE witness on Saddam Hussein's weapons programme will be enough

to trigger a fresh military onslaught, he told an all- party meeting on global

security.

 

Former defence minister and Labour backbencher Peter Kilfoyle said: " America is

duping the world into believing it supports these inspections. President Bush

intends to go to war even if inspectors find nothing.

 

" This make a mockery of the whole process and exposes America's real

determination to bomb Iraq. "

 

Dr Perle told MPs: " I cannot see how Hans Blix can state more than he can know.

All he can know is the results of his own investigations. And that does not

prove Saddam does not have weapons of mass destruction. "

 

The chairman of America's defence policy board said: " Suppose we are able to

find someone who has been involved in the development of weapons and he says

there are stores of nerve agents. But you cannot find them because they are so

well hidden.

 

" Do you actually have to take possession of the nerve agents to convince? We are

not dealing with a situation where you can expect co-operation. "

 

Mr Kilfoyle said MPs would be horrified at the admission. He added: " Because

Saddam is so hated in Iraq, it would be easy to find someone to say they

witnessed weapons building.

 

" Perle says the Americans would be satisfied with such claims even if no real

evidence was produced.

 

" That's a terrifying prospect. "