Looks like George W Bush has told another one of his many porkies
in respect of UN inspectors in Iraq.

According to numerous news sources, such as CNN, UN weapons 
inspectors were actively inspecting in Iraq immediately prior 
to the invasion, but were withdrawn on the advice of the United 
States:

=========================================================

U.N. to withdraw Iraq inspectors

Monday, March 17, 2003 Posted: 1805 GMT ( 2:05 AM HKT)

Blix has said inspectors would need 24-48 hours to leave Iraq.

Special Report

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- U.N. Secretary - General Kofi Annan told 
the Security Council on Monday that he is withdrawing weapons 
inspectors and humanitarian workers from Iraq.   

The inspectors are making plans to begin leaving on Tuesday ahead of  
an expected U.S.- led attack, a U.N. spokesman said  

(snip)

Source: CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/03/17/sprj.irq.kuwait.un/

==============================================================

However, Bush, telling porkies, being economical with the truth,
rewriting history etc etc, now claims that Saddam would not allow
the inspectors in, and [we] "decided to remove him from power".

===============================================================

President Reaffirms Strong Position on Liberia
Remarks by the President and United Nations Secretary General Kofi 
Annan in Photo Opportunity The Oval Office 

2:11 P.M. EDT 

THE PRESIDENT: I'm so honored that Kofi Annan has come back to 
the Oval Office.

(snip - ravings deleted)

Q So even though there has been some question about the intelligence -
- the intelligence community knowing beforehand that perhaps it wasn't, 
you still believe that when you gave it --  

(snip - crap about CIA & speech deleted)

The larger point is, and the fundamental question is, did Saddam 
Hussein have a weapons program? And the answer is, absolutely. And 
we gave him a chance to allow the inspectors in, and he wouldn't let 
them in. And, therefore, after a reasonable request, we decided to 
remove him from power, along with other nations, so as to make sure he 
was not a threat to the United States and our friends and allies in the 
region. I firmly believe the decisions we made will make America more 
secure and the world more peaceful.  

Thank you. 

END 2:24 P.M. EDT 

Source: Whitehouse ["Ministry Of Truth" ?]
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/07/20030714-3.html

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In essence, the inspectors were in Iraq, inspecting; the USA 
advised them to leave, fucked over Iraq, and now claims the 
inspectors were not permitted into Iraq to inspect.

Cheers, Steve..

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