[PEN-L:36308] Punished by their own words

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

"Saddam is much weaker than we think he is. He's weaker militarily. We know
he's got about a third of what he had in 1991. But it's a house of cards.
He rules by fear because he knows there is no underlying support. Support
for Saddam, including within his military organisation, will collapse at
the first whiff of gunpowder."

Richard Perle, recently resigned chairman of the Defence Policy Board, July
11 2002


"I believe demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq would
be a cakewalk"

Ken Adleman, former US ambassador to UN, Feb 13 2002


"There will be no war - there will be a fairly brief and ruthless military
intervention. The President will give an order. [The attack] will be rapid,
accurate and dazzling....It will be greeted by the majority of the Iraqi
people as an emancipation."

Christopher Hitchens, Vanity Fair, Jan 28 2003


"It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months."
Donald Rumsfeld Defence Secretary, February 8


"Like the people of France in the 1940's, they view us as their hoped for
liberators."

Paul Wolfowitz Deputy US Defence Secretary March 11 2002


"I really do believe we will be greeted as liberators... The read we get on
the people of Iraq is there is no question but that they want to get rid of
Saddam Hussein."
Vice President Dick Cheney March 16