Global Security Newswire

The recently released findings of David Kay and his Iraq Survey Group support the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell wrote in a Washington Post commentary today (see GSN, Oct. 6).

While Powell acknowledges that the team has not found any weapons of mass destruction, he said the evidence shows that Iraq harbored the desire to build illicit weapons.

“What we now know as result of David Kay’s efforts confirms that [deposed Iraqi President Saddam] Hussein had every intention of continuing his work on banned weapons despite the U.N. inspectors, and that we and our coalition partners were right to eliminate the danger that his regime posed to the world.”

Powell cited the discovery of “strains of organisms” in a scientist’s refrigerator as evidence of hidden efforts to retain a biological weapons capability. He also said Iraq was developing illicit missiles with a range of 250 kilometers, 100 kilometers further than was allowed under U.N. regulations.

The invasion was justified, Powell said, merely because Kay had discovered personnel, technology and networks that could increase global proliferation.

Powell called the former Iraqi regime “evil” and said it was “in deepening material breach of its Security Council obligations” (Colin Powell, Washington Post, Oct. 7).