Mubarak asserted Iraq had biological weapons, Bush memoir says

NTI: Global Security Newswire
Egyptian Leader Asserted Iraq had Bioweapons, Bush Memoir Says

Friday, Nov. 12, 2010

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak privately asserted prior to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that the regime of then-dictator Saddam Hussein held biological weapons, former President Bush said in his memoir published this week (see GSN, Nov. 4).

The Bush administration said intelligence demonstrated Iraq possessed of weapons of mass destruction in making its case for war against the Hussein regime. However, no operational WMD stockpiles or programs were discovered in the Middle Eastern country following the invasion.

"President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt had told [U.S. Gen.] Tommy Franks that Iraq had biological weapons and was certain to use them on our troops," Voice of America quoted Bush as saying in his book, titled "Decision Points."

The Egyptian leader "refused to make the allegation in public for fear of inciting the Arab street," Bush wrote.

"Intelligence from a Middle Eastern leader who knew (former Iraqi President) Saddam (Hussein) well had an impact on my thinking," he said. "Just as there were risks to actions, there were risks to inaction as well" (Diaa Bekheet, Voice of America, Nov. 11).