From CNN, 3/30/04:
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/US/03/30/iraq.wmd.duelfer/

New inspector won't rule out finding Iraqi WMD

Duelfer: Captured regime leaders not cooperating
From David Ensor

CNN Washington Bureau
Wednesday, March 31, 2004

WASHINGTON (CNN) --

In prepared testimony, the CIA's new chief Iraq weapons inspector said
he does not rule out finding weapons of mass destruction, adding "we
regularly receive reports, some quite intriguing and credible, about
concealed caches" of weapons.

Charles Duelfer said, however, that former Iraqi senior officials --
now prisoners of U.S. forces -- are not talking.

"Over the past 10 months, we have learned that [deposed Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein's] most senior and trusted officials can hold
their tongues," Duelfer said.

"We know from high-level briefings that Saddam conveyed his most
sensitive messages to particular individuals orally," he said.

"Moreover, there were explicit instructions not to repeat such
conversations."

Saddam's government collapsed April 9, 2003, when U.S. troops entered
Baghdad. U.S. forces captured the fugitive leader in December near his
ancestral homeland of Tikrit.

U.S.-led forces had invaded Iraq a month earlier after the Bush
administration argued that Iraq was concealing stockpiles of chemical
and biological weapons, a nuclear weapons program and long-range
missiles in violation of U.N. resolutions.

No stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction have been found despite
an intensive search.

Critics have accused the administration of overstating the threat Iraq
posed in order to go to war.

Duelfer is testifying Tuesday behind closed doors before the Senate
Armed Services and Intelligence committees.

His comments contrast with those of his predecessor, David Kay, who
has said he does not expect that any weapons of mass destruction will
be found in Iraq.

In prepared testimony, Duelfer said fear of retribution is still a
significant stumbling block as the Iraq Survey Group he heads seeks
information from Iraqi managers, scientists and engineers.

"Many perceive a grave risk in speaking with us. On one hand, there is
a fear of prosecution or arrest. On the other, there is a fear [that]
former regime supporters will exact retribution. This is, in part, why
we do not yet fully understand the central issue of regime
intentions," Duelfer said.

Duelfer, who is a special adviser to CIA Director George Tenet, said
he is providing only a status report -- not a preliminary assessment
of findings, which will come later.

Like Kay, Duelfer said that the regime was in "clear" violation of
several U.N. resolutions banning WMD programs in Iraq, including the
ban on certain biological research and the ban on deploying missiles
or unmanned aerial vehicles with a range of more than 93 miles (150
kilometers).

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What's this charade costing us, anybody know?

Harry

"Those weapons of mass destruction must be somewhere!" and "Nope, no
weapons over there!" and "Maybe under here?"

George W. Bush's big joke