"One way or the other, we are determined to

deny Iraq the capacity to develop

weapons of mass destruction

and the missiles to deliver them. 

That is our bottom line."
- President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998
 
"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force,

our purpose is clear.  We want to seriously diminish

the threat posed by

Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."
- President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998
 
"Iraq is a long way from [here],

but what happens there matters

a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders o

f a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or

biological weapons against us or our allies is the

 greatest security threat we face."
- Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998
 
"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again,

as he has ten times since 1983."
- Sandy Berger,

Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998
 
"We urge you, after consulting with Congress,

and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws,

to take necessary actions

 (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes

on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively

to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its

weapons of mass destruction programs."
- Letter to President Clinton, signed by

Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI),

Tom Daschle (D-SD),

John Kerry ( D - MA),

and others Oct. 9, 1998
 
"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."
- Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998
 
"Hussein has ... chosen to

 spend his money on building!

 weapons of mass destruction

and palaces for his cronies."
- Madeline Albright,

 Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999
 
"There is no doubt that ...

Saddam Hussein has invigorated his

weapons programs. Reports indicate that

biological, chemical and nuclear programs

continue apace and may be back to

pre-Gulf War status. In addition,

Saddam continues to redefine delivery

systems and is doubtless using the cover

of a licit missile program to develop longer-

range missiles that will threaten the

United States and our allies."
- Letter to President Bush, Signed by

Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, December 5, 2001
 
"We begin with the common belief that

Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and threat to the

peace and stability of the region. He has ignored

the mandate of the United Nations and is building

weapons of mass destruction

and the means of delivering them."
- Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 1! 9, 2002
 
"We know that he has stored secret supplies

of biological and chemical weapons throughout

 his country."
- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002


"Iraq's search for

weapons of mass destruction

has proven impossible to deter

and we should assume that it will

continue for as long as Saddam is in power."
- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
 
"We have known for many years that

Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing

weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002
 
"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in

October of 1998. We are confident that

Saddam Hussein retains 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

capabilities. I

ntelligence reports indicate that he is

seeking nuclear weapons..."
- Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002
 
"I will be voting to give the President! of the United States the authority to use force-- if necessary-- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security."
- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002
 
"There is unmistakable evidence that

Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to

develop nuclear weapons and will likely have

nuclear weapons within the next five years ..

We also should remember we have always

underestimated the progress Saddam has

made in development of weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002
 
"He has systematically violated,

over the course of the past 11 years,

every significant UN resolution that has

demanded that he disarm and destroy his

chemical and biological weapons, and any

nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do."
- Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002
 
"In the four years since the inspectors left,

intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein

has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological

weapon 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."
- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002
 
"We are in possession of what I think to be

compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has,

and has had for a number of years, a developing

capacity for the production and storage of

weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec.! 8, 2002
 
"Without question,

we need to disarm Saddam Hussein.

He is a brutal, murderous dictator,

leading an oppressive regime ...

He presents a particularly grievous

threat because he is so consistently

prone to miscalculation ...

And now he is miscalculating

America's response to his

continued deceit and his consistent

grasp for weapons of mass destruction...

So the threat of Saddam Hussein with

weapons of mass destruction is real."
- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003