Michael Schrage

Iraq’s development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) was cited as a primary justification for the 2003 decision by the United States and Britain to end that country’s regime by war. However, contrary to expectations, no evidence of such weapons were found during the war or in the weeks following its conclusion. In the following viewpoint analyst Michael Schrage argues that even if weapons of mass destruction are never found, war against Iraq was still justified. He contends that Saddam Hussein had engaged in a policy of strategic deception designed to create global uncertainty over whether or not he possessed WMD programs. Because other nations could never be sure just how dangerous Iraq was, Hussein was able to bully its neighbors and the world. By going...