The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

including against civilians. He had “no doubt” that “left unchecked” Saddam Hussein

would use them again.270

662. President Clinton described the conclusions in Mr Butler’s report as “stark,

sobering and profoundly disturbing”. Iraq had “abused its final chance”. The situation

presented a “clear and present danger to the stability of the Persian Gulf and the safety

of people everywhere”. Action was necessary because:

• “… without a strong inspection system, Iraq would be free to retain and begin to

rebuild its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programmes in months, not

years.”

• If Saddam Hussein “crippled the weapons inspection system and got away

with it, he would conclude that the international community – led by the US”

had “simply lost its will”. He would “surmise that he has free reign to rebuild his

arsenal of mass destruction”.

• “Third, in halting … air strikes in November” Saddam Hussein had been given “a

chance, not a license”. If the US turned its back on his defiance, “the credibility

of US power as a check against Saddam” would be “destroyed”. That would

“fatally undercut the fear of force” that stopped Saddam “from acting to gain

domination in the region”.

663. The air strikes were “designed to degrade Saddam’s capacity to develop and

deliver weapons of mass destruction, and to degrade his ability to threaten his

neighbours”. The US was pursuing “a long-term strategy to contain Iraq and its weapons

of mass destruction and work toward the day when Iraq has a government worthy of

its people”, through being prepared to use force when necessary and maintaining and

enforcing sanctions for as long as Iraq remained “out of compliance”.

664. But President Clinton added that, as long as Saddam Hussein remained in power,

he threatened:

“… the well-being of his people, the peace of the region, the security of the world.

“The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government …

Bringing change in Baghdad will take time and effort. We will strengthen our

engagement with the full range of Iraqi opposition forces and work with them

effectively and prudently.”

665. In a statement on 16 December, Mr Blair said:

“This action could have been avoided. Since the Gulf War, the entire international

community has worked to stop Saddam Hussein from keeping and developing

nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and from continuing to threaten his

neighbours.

270 CNN, 16 December 1998, Transcript: President Clinton explains Iraq strike.

148