[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
[February 8, 2003]
[Pages 140-141]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
February 8, 2003

    Good morning. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Powell briefed the United Nations Security Council on Iraq's 
illegal weapons programs, its attempts to hide those weapons, and its 
links to terrorist groups.
    The Iraqi regime's violations of Security Council resolutions are 
evident. They are dangerous to America and the world, and they continue 
to this hour.
    The regime has never accounted for a vast arsenal of deadly 
biological and chemical weapons. To the contrary, the regime is pursuing 
an elaborate campaign to conceal its weapons materials and to hide or 
intimidate key experts and scientists. This effort of deception is 
directed from the highest levels of the Iraqi regime, including Saddam 
Hussein, his son, 
Iraq's Vice President, Yasin and the very 
official responsible for cooperating with inspectors. 
    The Iraqi regime has actively and secretly attempted to obtain 
equipment needed to produce chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. 
Firsthand witnesses have informed us that Iraq has at least seven mobile 
factories for the production of biological agents, equipment mounted on 
trucks and rails to evade discovery.
    The Iraqi regime has acquired and tested the means to deliver 
weapons of mass destruction. It has never accounted for thousands of 
bombs and shells capable of delivering chemical weapons. It is actively 
pursuing components for prohibited ballistic missiles. And we have 
sources that tell us that Saddam Hussein 
recently authorized Iraqi field commanders to use chemical weapons, the 
very weapons the dictator tells us he does not have.
    One of the greatest dangers we face is that weapons of mass 
destruction might be passed to terrorists who would not hesitate to use 
those weapons. Saddam Hussein has 
longstanding, direct, and continuing ties to terrorist networks. Senior 
members of Iraqi intelligence and Al Qaida have met at least 8 times 
since the early 1990s. Iraq has sent bombmaking and document forgery 
experts to work with Al Qaida. Iraq has also provided Al Qaida with 
chemical and biological weapons training. And an Al Qaida operative was 
sent to Iraq several times in the late 1990s for help in acquiring 
poisons and gases.
    We also know that Iraq is harboring a terrorist network headed by a 
senior Al Qaida terrorist planner. This network runs

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a poison and explosives training camp in northeast Iraq, and many of its 
leaders are known to be in Baghdad.
    This is the situation as we find it: 12 years after Saddam 
Hussein agreed to disarm and more than 90 
days after the Security Council passed Resolution 1441 by a unanimous 
vote, Saddam Hussein was required to make a full declaration of his 
weapons programs. He has not done so. Saddam Hussein was required to 
fully cooperate in the disarmament of his regime. He has not done so. 
Saddam Hussein was given a final chance. He is throwing away that 
chance.
    Having made its demands, the Security Council must not back down 
when those demands are defied and mocked by a dictator. The United 
States would welcome and support a new resolution making clear that the 
Security Council stands behinds its previous demands. Yet, resolutions 
mean little without resolve, and the United States, along with a growing 
coalition of nations, will take whatever action is necessary to defend 
ourselves and disarm the Iraqi regime.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 9:15 a.m. on February 7 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on February 8. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
February 7 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his 
remarks, the President referred to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq and 
his son Qusay; and Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan and presidential 
adviser Lt. Gen. Amir Al-Saadi of Iraq. The Office of the Press 
Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this address.