Clinton Administration on the
Iraq Threat (1997-2001)
1997
1998
- Madeleine Albright says military
force may be necessary to rid Iraq of WMD, Jan. 30, 1998
- Bill Clinton says Iraq has failed
to answer critical questions on nuclear weapons design and fabrication,
procurement, and centrifuge enrichment, Feb. 5, 1998
- Bill Clinton says Iraq continues
to conceal chemical and biological weapons, and missiles
that can deliver them, Feb. 9, 1998
- Sandy Berger declares Saddam
Hussein a threat to the U.S., Feb. 13, 1998
- Berger, Cohen and Albright
discuss nuclear, chemical or biological threat posed by Iraq,
Feb. 20, 1998
- Bill Clinton says UNSCOM is
still unable to verify that all of Iraq's SCUD missile warheads
filled with biological agents -- anthrax, botulinum toxin, and
aflatoxin -- have been destroyed, June 24, 1998
- Bill Clinton says Iraqi actions
pose a continuing unusual and extraordinary threat to the national
security and vital foreign policy interests of the United States,
July 30, 1998
- Madeleine Albright editorial
in New York Times discusses Iraq's WMD programs, Aug. 17, 1998
- 1998 Indictment against Osama
bin Laden cites Iraq-al Qaeda connection.
- Richard Clarke promotes
doctrine of preemption, Oct. 8, 1998
- Bill Clinton signs Iraqi Liberation
Act, Oct. 31, 1998
- Bill Clinton says Iraq's real
goal is to end the sanctions without giving up its weapons of
mass destruction program, Nov. 13, 1998
- Sandy Berger ties Osama bin
Laden to Saddam Hussein, Dec. 9, 1998
- Bill
Clinton attacks Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons
programs, Dec. 16, 1998
- Madeleine Albright discusses
preemptive nature of Operation Desert Fox, Dec. 17, 1998
- Bill Clinton says Saddam must
not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with
nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons, Dec. 18, 1998
- Bill Clinton says Saddam Hussein
must not be allowed to develop nuclear arms,
poison gas, biological weapons, or the means to deliver them,
Dec. 19, 1998
- Madeleine Albright discusses
Operation Desert Fox on Meet the Press, Dec. 21, 1998
- William Cohen says Operation
Desert Fox made it more difficult for Iraq to use deadly chemical
and biological weapons against its neighbors, Jan. 21, 1998
1999
- Bill Clinton says Iraq has
defied its obligations to destroy its weapons of terror and the
missiles to deliver them, Jan. 19, 1999
- Undersecretary of Defense
says Clinton administration has come to the conclusion that there
cannot be a fundamental, long-term improvement in the security
situation in the Gulf region until there is a change of regime
in Iraq, Jan. 28, 1999
- Bill Clinton says as long as
Saddam Hussein remains in power, he represents a threat to
the well-being of his people, the peace of the region, and the
security of the world, Mar. 3, 1999
- Madeleine Albright meets with
Ahmed Chalabi, pledges that the U.S. will do what it can to
support the Iraqi people and their efforts to change the regime,
May 24, 1999
- Ambassador Pickering voices
support for Ahmed Chalabi and Iraqi National Congress, Nov. 1,
1999
2000
- Clinton administration official
says the regime of Saddam Hussein cannot be rehabilitated or
reintegrated as a responsible member of the community of nations,
Mar. 23, 2000
- Ambassador tells Security
Council that Iraq remains a threat due to unanswered questions
in the areas of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and
of the missiles to deliver them, Mar. 27, 2000
- Sandy Berger argues against
lifting sanctions on Iraq, May 4, 2000
- Al Gore reaffirmes the Administration's
strong commitment to the objective of removing
Saddam Hussein from power, and to bringing him and his inner
circle to justice for their war crimes
and crimes against humanity, June 26, 2000
- William Cohen says he cannot think
of a more important issue to address than protecting the
American people from the threat posed by states such as North
Korea, Iran and Iraq who
are seeking to acquire nuclear, chemical and biological weapons
and the long-range
missiles to deliver them, July 25, 2000
- State Department fact sheet
says Iraq has not complied with UN Security Council Resolutions
that call for dismantling weapons of mass destruction programs,
Aug. 2, 2000
- U.S. statement to U.N. says
Iraq has had an aggressive program to develop the full range
of WMD and has used such weapons against Iran and also against
its very own people, Aug. 17, 2000
- Madeleine Albright meets
with the Iraqi National Congress, Sept. 15, 2000
- State Department
calls French Flight to Iraq "A Blatant Violation" of
Sanctions, Sept. 22, 2000
- Ambassador says Clinton
administration does not believe there can be peace or stability
in the Gulf while Saddam Hussein remains in power, determined
to restrain his quest for nuclear weapons and dangerous technologies,
Dec. 19, 2000
2001
CIA Worldwide Threat Assessments
State Department - Patterns of Global Terrorism
Miscellaneous Documents
|