Remember: the program did exist
There were nuclear and other weapons scientists on Saddam's payroll until we attacked. I assume they weren't getting paid to come up with pizza recipes. Scientists are still getting shot at, even now. Why, if there is nothing to hide?
Even if the scientists weren't doing as well as we thought, or even as Saddam thought, that is mostly irrelevant in the big picture. What would have happened in another ten years?