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Bush Says Weapons Will Be Found in Iraq

Saturday, May 3, 2003
(4:42 PM)
By Jennifer Loven
Associated Press Writer

Bush did not elaborate. But officials say American intelligence agents are able to check one prisoner's claims against others, now that an increasing number of Iraqi leaders are in U.S. hands. The United States has documents that help verify responses from captives, they said. Bush professed no concern about the lack of credible information, saying that lower-ranking officials and regular citizens “will come forward” and provide it. “We'll find out a lot about the nature of the Hussein regime as time goes on,” he said.

President Bush waves from Air Force One after arriving at Moffett Field in Mountainview, Calif., Friday, May 2, 2003. He is to visit the plant of United Defense Industries, developer of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, in Santa Clara, Calif. The fast, high-tech troop transporters were heavily used in Iraq.
Image Credit: Eric Risberg -- AP

CRAWFORD, Texas -- AP
President Bush said Saturday it is a matter of when - not if - weapons of mass destruction will be found in Iraq while suggesting that task is getting little help from Saddam Hussein's captured confederates.

“We'll find them,” Bush said of Iraq's suspected chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. “It'll be a matter of time to do so.”

Iraq's alleged possession of such weapons was Bush's main rationale for war, but none has been found since Saddam's government fell more than three weeks ago.

Bush and other U.S. officials had indicated that coalition troops may come up empty in their hunt, saying it is possible that weapons were destroyed before or during the U.S.-led war. On Saturday, a senior Bush aide offered another explanation, saying initial information suggests Iraq's weapons programs was geared mostly toward just-in-time production.

Bush pointed out that the United States was not alone in its accusations against Iraq, noting that the United Nations resolution approved unanimously in the Security Council last fall stated it had banned weapons.

“Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction,” Bush said in a joint appearance at his ranch with Australian Prime Minister John Howard. “It's well known.”

He said the search would be difficult and lengthy, but ultimately successful.

“Iraq's the size of the state of California. It's got tunnels, caves, all kinds of complexes,” he said.

Bush complained that Tariq Aziz, one of Saddam Hussein's closest deputies, is not cooperating with U.S. forces who have him in custody since April 24.

The deputy prime minister was the most visible face of the former Iraqi government other than Saddam's, and Aziz was the official who made Iraq's case before the world when it invaded Kuwait in 1990.
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2003 © The Associated Press.

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