Daniel Ellsberg answers questions on Iraq for Metall (Germany Metalworkers Union newspaper) and Freitag
“What threat does Iraq now pose or could pose in the future to essential US objectives in the Middle East or globally?”
No threat at all, so long as Saddam is not faced with overthrow or death by attack or invasion. Saddam has been weakened by a decade of sanctions, contained and deterred by the readiness and even strong desire of the US to attack Iraq on any excuse. Unattacked, he poses no threat at all to his neighbors or the US. To call him “the number one danger to US security and interests” is not just questionable, it’s absurd. On any reasonable list of outstanding dangers, he isn’t on the list.