News Release

December 15, 2003

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Even With Saddam's Capture, Iraq Was Wrong War
Bush's claims of imminent threats, weapons of mass destruction were overstated

WASHINGTON--Despite the capture of Saddam Hussein by U.S. forces over the weekend, the fact remains that removing him from power did not diminish the threats posed by al Qaeda terrorism, the real threat to America. Further, as evidenced by almost daily skirmishes between the U.S. military and insurgents, attacking Iraq may likely have created conditions for increased anti-American sentiment, which can breed hatred and, subsequently, violence and terrorism, a new Cato study argues.

In "Iraq: The Wrong War," Director of Defense Policy Studies Charles V. Peņa argues that many of the reasons for attacking Iraq cited by President Bush, including claims about the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the idea that Hussein would give them to terrorists, are overstated or ill-founded.

"The decision to go to war against Iraq could ultimately make prosecuting the war against al Qaeda more difficult," writes Peņa. "The administration's focus on Iraq comes at the expense of focusing attention and resources on al Qaeda. And, the ill will of many friends and allies generated by the war could adversely affect future cooperation needed to dismantle al Qaeda cells around the world," Peņa writes.

According to Peņa, even if WMD are eventually found in Iraq, mere possession would not constitute a direct and imminent threat because Iraq had no long-range military capability to attack the United States and was deterred from using them against the United States. Further, the notion that Hussein would give WMD to terrorists is mere speculation given the fact that Hussein, a secular Muslim ruler, and Osama bin Laden, a radical Muslim fundamentalist, have differing ideological views and goals.

A growing number of Iraqis resent the continuing foreign military occupation and control of their country. Peņa argues that U.S. occupation makes the case for radical Islamists that the West is invading Islam, which only encourages the Muslim world--regardless of their sympathies to al Qaeda--to unite against the United States.

"The continued U.S. military occupation and insistence on creating a democracy in the image of this country may create anti-American sentiment in Iraq, which breeds hatred that becomes a steppingstone to violence, including terrorism," says Peņa.