Jon Kyl: “I will answer in a couple of different ways. First of all, I served on the Intelligence Committee for 8 years, and I was…”

“I will answer in a couple of different ways. First of all, I served on the Intelligence Committee for 8 years, and I was convinced, based upon the intelligence estimates provided to us over that period of time, these weapons were possessed, they had been used, and they would likely be used again if he had the opportunity to do so, and that there were weapons programs ongoing within the country of Iraq. So I don't have any doubt, as the Senator has so eloquently pointed out here, that the Kurds, who he referred to and spoke with, were absolutely right that these kinds of attacks would occur again. I wondered whether I was alone in this and, of course, in looking, I found that I was not. Let me note two or three things colleagues have said. Then I will turn to Senator Hatch. But I note that in 1998, long before President Bush came to town, President Clinton had come to the same conclusion, based upon the intelligence that had been provided to him by the intelligence agencies. A couple things struck me and then I will move on. He said: Other countries possess weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. With Saddam, there is one big difference: he has used them, not once but repeatedly. That is the point the leader made. Unleashing chemical weapons against Iranian troops . . . against civilians, firing Scud missiles at the citizens of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iran . . . even against his own people, gassing Kurdish civilians in Northern Iraq.…”