Comment from The Citizens Journal
Time: May 13, 2007, 11:51 pm

Ill advised ? It’s amazing how short some peoples memorys are, to claim that the administration knew better and lied deliberately, just to take us to war is just patently absurd. If that was true then most of the Democratic leaders would be under investigation as well, for “lying” to take us to war.

“Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam defies the world and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in the future. Saddam will strike again at his neighbors; he will make war on his own people. And mark my words, he will develop weapons of mass destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them.” President Clinton National Address from the Oval Office December 16, 1998

“Those who doubted whether Iraq or the world would be better off without Saddam Hussein, and those who believe today that we are not safer with his capture, don’t have the judgment to be President, or the credibility to be elected President. No one can doubt or should doubt that we are safer — and Iraq is better — because Saddam Hussein is now behind bars.”
Senator John Kerry (Democrat, Massachusetts) Resolution authorizing US military force against Iraq:

“Others argue that if even our allies support us, we should not support this resolution because confronting Iraq now would undermine the long-term fight against terrorist groups like Al Qaeda. Yet, I believe that this is not an either-or choice. Our national security requires us to do both, and we can.” Senator John Edwards (Democrat, North Carolina)

“In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members… It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.”Senator Hillary Clinton (Democrat, New York) ” November 2, 2003

“[W]e have evidence of meetings between Iraqi officials and leaders of al Qaeda, and testimony that Iraqi agents helped train al Qaeda operatives to use chemical and biological weapons. We also know that al Qaeda leaders have been, and are now, harbored in Iraq. Having reached the conclusion I have about the clear and present danger Saddam represents to the U.S., I want to give the president a limited but strong mandate to act against Saddam.” Senator Joseph Lieberman (Democrat, Connecticut) In a Wall Street Journal editorial Lieberman authored titled:”Why Democrats Should Support the President on Iraq” October 7, 2002

“Iraq is a long way from Ohio, but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face.” Madeleine Albright, President Clinton’s Secretary of State

Imagine the consequences if Saddam fails to comply and we fail to act. Saddam will be emboldened, believing the international community has lost its will. He will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. And some day, some way, I am certain, he will use that arsenal again, as he has ten times since 1983.” Sandy Berger, President Clinton’s National Security Advisor

Ten years after the Gulf War and Saddam is still there and still continues to stockpile weapons of mass destruction. Now there are suggestions he is working with al Qaeda, which means the very terrorists who attacked the United States last September may now have access to chemical and biological weapons.” James P. Rubin, President Clinton’s State Department spokesman In a PBS documentaryt itled “Saddam’s Ultimate Solution” July 11, 2002

“As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.” Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, California)

Also a member of the House Intelligence Committee Iraq’s search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to completely deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power. We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country.” Al Gore, Former Clinton Vice-President

The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capability. Intelligence reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons, but has not yet achieved nuclear capability.” Robert C. Byrd Former Ku Klux Klan recruiter, currently a US Senator (Democrat, West Virginia) Addressing the US Senate October 3, 2002

“The recent inspection find in the private home of a scientist of a box of some 3,000 pages of documents, much of it relating to the laser enrichment of uranium support a concern that has long existed that documents might be distributed to the homes of private individuals. …we cannot help but think that the case might not be isolated and that such placements of documents is deliberate to make discovery difficult and to seek to shield documents by placing them in private homes.” Dr. Hans Blix, Chief UN Weapons Inspector Addressing the UN Security Council January 27, 2003

“His regime threatens the safety of his people, the stability of his region, and the security of all the rest of us. What if he fails to comply, and we fail to act, or we take some ambiguous third route which gives him yet more opportunities to develop this program of weapons of mass destruction and continue to press for the release of the sanctions and continue to ignore the solemn commitments that he made? Well, he will conclude that the international community has lost its will. He will then conclude that he can go right on and do more to rebuild an arsenal of devastating destruction. And some day, some way, I guarantee you, he’ll use the arsenal.”President Clinton Address to Joint Chiefs of Staff and Pentagon staff February 17, 1998

Regime change in Iraq has been official US policy since 1998:
The Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 (sponsored by Bob Kerrey, John McCain, and Joseph Lieberman, and signed into law by President Clinton) states: “It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime.”Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 105th Congress, 2nd Session September 29, 1998

CNN October 10, 2002
House gives Bush authority for war with Iraq The House voted 296-133 to give Bush the authority to use U.S. military force to make Iraq comply with U.N. resolutions requiring it to give up weapons of mass destruction

CNN October 11, 2002
Senate approves Iraq war resolution In a major victory for the White House, the Senate early Friday voted 77-23 to authorize President Bush to attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein refuses to give up weapons of mass destruction as required by U.N. resolutions.