In un articolo postumo pubblicato per la prima volta oggi sull'Observer, lo scienziato David Kelly, morto il 17 luglio, ammise: "L'Iraq possiede armi. L'unico modo per fermare Saddam è una guerra" - in sostanza, questo scritto finora inedito porta acqua, e molta, al mulino di Tony Blair e fa aumentare i sospetti che in realtà sia stata la BBC, e non Blair, a manipolare la realtà dei fatti.
Ecco alcuni estratti dell'articolo (qui il testo integrale):
Although the current threat presented by Iraq militarily is modest, both in terms of conventional and unconventional weapons, it has never given up its intent to develop and stockpile such weapons for both military and terrorist use.L'Observer ha ottenuto solo oggi l'articolo dall'autrice dell'intervista, la giornalista Julie Flint, esperta di Medio Oriente e amica personale dello scienziato.
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After 12 unsuccessful years of UN supervision of disarmament, military force regrettably appears to be the only way of finally and conclusively disarming Iraq.
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Iraq continues to develop missile technology, especially fuel propellents and guidance systems for long-range missiles. Iraq has recovered chemical reactors destroyed prior to 1998 for allegedly civilian activity, built biological fermenters and agent dryers, and created transportable production units for biological and chemical agents and the filling of weapons. Key nuclear research and design teams remain in place, even though it is assessed that Iraq is unable to manufacture nuclear weapons unless fissile material is available.
War may now be inevitable. The proportionality and intensity of the conflict will depend on whether regime change or disarmament is the true objective. The US, and whoever willingly assists it, should ensure that the force, strength and strategy used is appropriate to the modest threat that Iraq now poses.
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The threat from Iraq's chemical and biological weapons is, however, unlikely to substantially affect the operational capabilities of US and British troops. Nor is it likely to create massive casualties in adjacent countries. Perhaps the real threat from Iraq today comes from covert use of such weapons against troops or by terrorists against civilian targets worldwide. The link with al-Qaeda is disputed, but is, in any case, not the principal terrorist link of concern. Iraq has long trained and supported terrorist activities and is quite capable of initiating such activity using its security services.
The long-term threat, however, remains Iraq's development to military maturity of weapons of mass destruction - something that only regime change will avert.
