Washington: The White House has said victory in Iraq does not hinge on finding
Saddam Hussein and rejected the possibility that US forces may not locate the banned
weapons central to the US case for war.
"Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, biological and chemical, and we are confident
that they will be found and discovered and seen," said spokesman Ari Fleischer on
April 4.
Asked whether the US-led campaign had to find Saddam to be considered a success,
Fleischer said that would be "helpful" but that the "definition of victory" was
disarming Iraq and ending his regime.
"So clearly, the future or the fate of Saddam Hussein is a factor, but ... whether
he is or is not alive or dead, the mission is moving forward, and the regime's days
are numbered," he said.
