Colin Powell: “One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file … is the existence of mobile production facilities used to make biological agents … The trucks and train-cars are easily moved and are designed to evade detection … in a matter of months, they can produce a quantity of biological poison equal to the entire amount that Iraq claimed to have produced in the years prior to the Gulf War.”Addressing the UN Security Council 5 February, 2003. Colin Powell: “Our conservative estimate is that Iraq has a stockpile of between 100 and 500 tons of chemical weapons agent That is enough to fill 16,000 battlefield rockets. Even the low end of 100 tons of agent would enable Saddam Hussein to cause mass casualties across more than 100 square miles of territory, an area nearly five times the size of Manhattan.”5 February, 2003 Colin Powell: “Let me remind you .. of the 122mm chemical warheads the UN inspectors found This discovery could well be .. the tip of a submerged iceberg. The question before us all is when will we see the rest of the submerged iceberg?”14 February, 2003.

Hans Blix: “Since we arrived in Iraq, we have conducted more than 400 inspections of more than 300 sites. All inspections were performed without notice, and access was almost always provided promptly. In no case have we seen convincing evidence that the Iraqi side knew in advance that the inspectors were coming.”Addressing the UN Security Council27 February, 2003. George Bush: “In Iraq, a dictator is building and hiding weapons that could enable him to dominate the Middle East and intimidate the civilised world, and we will not allow it …

Acting against the danger will also contribute greatly to the long-term safety and stability of our world.”Address at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington18 March, 2003. George Bush: “Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraqi regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised.”Televised address, giving Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave Iraq or face war18 March, 2003. George Bush: “The danger is clear: using chemical, biological or, one day, nuclear weapons obtained with the help of Iraq, the terrorists could fulfil their stated ambitions and kill thousands or hundreds of thousands of innocent people in our country or any other.”20 March, 2003. George Bush: “At this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger.”Televised address, announcing the start of the war20 March, 2003. Tony Blair: “Our choice is clear: back down and leave Saddam hugely strengthened or proceed to disarm him by force.”Address to the nation as war started2 April, 2003. Jack Straw: “The removal of Saddam Hussein’s regime has become necessary to eradicate the threat from his programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction.”Speech at a Newspaper Society lunch22 April, 2003. Hans Blix: “The US was very eager to sway the votes in the Security Council, and they felt stories about these things would be useful to have, and they let it out.