The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
the
solution or the necessary rescue that would allow American citizens
to live in
security
and stability after what they had gone through in the 11 September
events.”
83.
Saddam Hussein
stated that when the US Administration had realised the
necessity
to
have:
“…
international cover for using force and that the world did not
believe the lies it
tried to
propagate to link Iraq to the September events, it changed the
issue and
began to
shed crocodile tears about international law and the necessity to
comply
with the
resolutions of international legitimacy, alleging that Iraq is not
complying
with the
Security Council resolutions, especially with regard to …
inspectors. This
implied
that Iraq had the intention to develop or already possesses
nuclear, chemical
and
biological weapons …”
84.
Iraq “might
give those weapons to terrorist organizations that pose a threat to
world
security”.
85.
After
complaining about the “intelligence and espionage” activities of
weapons
inspectors
in the past and accusing the US of “acting on behalf of Zionism”
and wanting
“to destroy
Iraq in order to control Middle East oil, and consequently control
the politics
as well as
the oil and economic policies of the whole world”, Saddam Hussein
stated
that Iraq
“was, and still is ready to co‑operate with the Security Council
and international
organizations”.
But it rejected “anyone’s transgression of its rights, sovereignty,
security
and
independence”.
86.
Iraq had “not
rejected the relevant resolutions”, even though they were “unjust
and
at odds
with the United Nations Charter and international law”. It called
on members
of the
Security Council to meet their obligations, and demanded that
Iraq’s “inalienable
rights”
should be met.
87.
Saddam Hussein
declared that Iraq was “totally clear of all nuclear, chemical
and
biological
weapons” and offered to receive “any scientific experts accompanied
by
politicians”
who wished to see “places and scientific and industrial
installations” alleged
to “contain
prohibited materials or activities”. He also stated that Iraq had
“accepted the
return of
inspections teams … taking into consideration the arrangements that
should
safeguard”
the principles that Iraq’s rights, sovereignty and security should
be respected.
That would
“achieve, with transparency, the goal of making sure that Iraq no
longer
possesses
nuclear, biological and chemical weapons of mass
destruction”.
88.
Saddam Hussein
stated that Iraq had been:
“… keen to
see the issue discussed between the Security Council and Iraq,
through
the United
Nations Secretary‑General and the representatives of Iraq, with
a
view to
reaching a balanced formula, based on the principles of the Charter
and
the
relevant resolutions of the Security Council, within a
comprehensive solution
which
should bring to an end the cyclone of American accusations and
fabricated
214