Letter: Paying price for failed intelligence or massive lies

Monday, Feb. 9, 2004 | 9:02 a.m.

Contrary to everything President Bush and his administration told us, there was no 45-minute capability to spread biological and chemical weapons, no reconstituted nukes, no unmanned drones capable of reaching our shores, no al-Qaida connections, no links to 9-11, no WMD, no Iraqi scientists volunteering where the weapons were hidden, and no parades welcoming us to Iraq.

There was, however, an abundance of exaggeration, misinformation and irresponsible speculation culminating in hundreds of weapons inspectors ending their search for WMD and leaving Iraq unable to validate the serious allegations the Bush administration made. Inspectors now believe no WMD existed in Iraq when we attacked them despite Bush's repeated insistence the weapons were there.

There was no threat and there was no reason to attack, invade and occupy a nation that hadn't attacked us and bore no responsibility for 9-11.

Either there was a colossal intelligence failure causing Bush to inadvertently mislead us or, to make his case for war, he intentionally lied about the severity and immediacy of the threat Saddam posed to America, his neighbors and the world. In any event, thousands have tragically paid the ultimate price and more continue to pay every day.

JOYCE SEGAL