Saturday, September 20, 2003
(Via Instapundit) Richard Butler says Iraq invasion justified
Butler likened Saddam to Adolf Hitler and said the evil dictator used the weapons on live people.
"I want to be plain about this," Butler's voice heightened. "The overthrow of Sadaam Hussein was justified whether or not there was reluctance to authorize it. ... No one could say it is wrong to overthrow a homicidal maniac. The Security Council sat on its hands for 10 years."
As for not finding these weapons allegedly in Iraq, Butler said he is sure Saddam had them. He said Saddam was addicted to the deadly weapons, and whether they are still in Iraq but hidden, moved or destroyed, they did exist.
"Don't believe those who say they aren't there just because we haven't found them. Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," Butler told the crowd. "Iraq certainly did have weapons of mass destruction. Trust me. I held some in my own hands."
Impression: Wow. That's quite a statement. Make no mistake. Butler was certainly one of those who believed Hussein had an ongoing WMD program, but he was no fan of the manner in which the Bush Administration was going about things. He said it would be a terrible shame if the United States invaded Iraq without a direct UN mandate as he beleived it would be a violation of international law, if I recall correctly. So to read a statement like this now is quite something.
