text: "One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of\nmass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line." - President\nClinton, Feb. 4, 1998\n\n"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear.We want to\nseriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program." -\nPresident Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998\n\nIraq is a long way from here, but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the\nrisks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons\nagainst us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face." - Madeline Albright, Feb 18,\n1998\n\n"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983." -\nSandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18,1998\n\n"We urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution\nand laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on\nsuspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its\nweapons of mass destruction programs." - Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl\nLevin (D-MI), Tom Daschle (D-SD), John Kerry ( D - MA), and others Oct. 9,1998\n\n"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction\ntechnology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the\nweapons inspection process." - Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998\n\n"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and\npalaces for his cronies." - Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999\n\n"There is no doubt that ... Saddam Hussein has invigorated his weapons programs. Reports\nindicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to\npre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is\ndoubtless using the cover of an illicit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that\nwill threaten the United States and our allies." - Letter to President Bus h, Signed by Sen.\nBob Graham (D, FL,) and others, December 5, 2001\n\n"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and threat to the peace\nand stability of the region. He has ignored the mandated of the United Nations. "We have\nknown for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass\ndestruction." - Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002\n\n"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that\nSaddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he\nhas since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare\ncapabilities. Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter\nand we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." - Al Gore,\nSept. 23, 2002\n\n"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons\nof mass destruction." - Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002\n\n"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that\nSaddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he\nhas since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare\ncapabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..." - Sen.\nRobert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002\n\n"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop\nnuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also\nshould remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in\ndevelopment of weapons of mass destructi