Iraq WMD report expected to ’embarrass’ Bush
The man appointed by US President George W Bush to locate Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction is due to report on his finding to Congress later today.
Former United Nations weapons inspector David Kay’s is expected to state that he has failed to locate any firm evidence of banned weapons in Iraq.
Experts now suggest that Saddam Hussein himself may have been misled about the existence of chemical and biological weapons programmes, or may have exaggerated the threat Iraq posed to the rest of the world in a bid to deter an invasion.
The findings of the 1,200-strong CIA-led Iraq Survey Group are expected to prove a major embarrassment for the Bush administration.
However, Mr Kay is also expected to report that the Iraqi dictator never gave up on his efforts to develop chemical, nuclear and biological weapons.
The coalition, led by the US and Britain, invaded Iraq on the pretext that it posed an immediate threat to world peace due to the existence of weapons of mass destruction.
The failure of coalition forces to find the alleged weapons has caused severe criticism of both President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The White House is expected to stress that report represents only interim findings and does not suggest that there are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
