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Seeing a Smoking Gun Means It's Too Late, Rumsfeld Says
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

"There is no reason for confidence that if Iraq launched a weapons of mass destruction attack on the United States it would necessarily have an obvious return address," Rumsfeld said.

WASHINGTON -- AFIS
"The last thing we want to see is a smoking gun," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Congress today. "A gun smokes after it has been fired. The goal must be to stop such an action before it happens."

Rumsfeld testified before the House Armed Services Committee. He was answering questions about the dangers Iraq poses.

He told the legislators that Saddam Hussein has chemical and biological weapons and is working hard to develop a nuclear capability. He said the Iraqi dictator has also demonstrated a propensity to use those weapons. Hussein has violated the 16 U.N. resolutions directed against his outlaw regime, Rumsfeld said, and he will continue to subvert the will of the United Nations if allowed.

A demonstration erupted in the hearing room that Rumsfeld used to make another point. As he had begun his testimony, a group of women interrupted him and began chanting "inspections, not war."

After the women were led out, Rumsfeld said that there is a misunderstanding among many people that the goal for the United Nations is simple inspection. "The (U.N.) goal is disarmament," he said. "That is what was agreed to by Iraq (after the Persian Gulf War), and that is what was understood by the United Nations."

He said inspections only work if the country being inspected cooperates. Iraq has an interest is hiding arms and deceiving inspectors. Further, he said, Iraq threw the inspectors out, not the United States or the United Nations.
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

Related Story:
* Prepared Testimony of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld before the House Armed Services Committee regarding Iraq
United States Department of Defense
Wednesday, September 18, 2002

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