Why did/do so many Americans believe the stories about WMD in Iraq?

Question

The entire world was told the same thing about Iraq having WMD, and while the rest of the world thought it was B.S., most Americans believed it. This is evidenced by the number of countries who did not join in the debacle. Why would an entire country fall for this?

This is more of a psychology question. There are a number of answers which do not relate to the question, as there were no WMD found before the invasion. It is a question about groupthink, because many times I've heard "But we didn't know!"

This is not about 'hating America'.

Answer 1

BECAUSE AT THE TIME IT WAS UNPATRIOTIC TO QUESTION THE ACTION OF THE PRESIDENT. EVERYBODY WAS LETTING THEIR FEARS CONTROL THEM.

Answer 2

Anyone who believes we went to war with Iraq over WMD is an idiot and anyone(including those who have give replies already) believes that we have found anything that actually qualifies as an actual WMD in Iraq they are also an idiot. If we attacked Iraq of potential WMD then why have we not attacked N. Korea yet when they don't potentially have them they have tested a nuclear device and are a much bigger threat than Iraq ever was. Most American's that had a tiny bit of intellegence never fell for the WMD lie, especially since Bush attacked even after Saddam let the weapons inspectors in using the exuse that they were not being allowed to inspect the proper places(in fact the weapons inspectors told the world that was a lie right away but people didn't want to listen.) If you choose to support the war then don't support it from lies, support it because you think it was the right thing to do. I feel the same way about the ignorant idiots that say the war is over oil as I do the idiots who say it was because of WMD, anyone with half a brain knows both of those reasons are false. My personal opinion is the war was finishing up something Bush's father should have finished the first time and 9/11 allowed him the opportunity to gain the suppor to do so.

"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."
-- Julius Caesar

Answer 3

@M1A1: What you forgot to mention is that those
500 chemical warheads were in fact EMPTY. They
actually weren't even warheads but artillery munition.
So what you found were actually 500 empty cans.

And to top that bullshit of. Those "cans" were already
accounted by the U.N.

And another nice fact about the hunt for WMD. Did
you know that most WMD capable stuff that was in
Iraq and went AWOL did that AFTER the invasion?
Right under U.S. eyes so to say. Quite in contrast
to the years before when it was under U.N. control.

@Rich: LOL. Screaming all over the place already?
That's bullshit of course. The Europeans knew as
well as the U.S. that there ARE NO relevant WMD
in Iraq. A recent brit report makes that absolutely
clear. And where did they go under our eyes? Into
Syria? Right under the eyes of the flyboys? Yeah.
For sure. LOL.

And wasn't it the CIA that said: We never said anything
that was a fact? Didn't former Secretary of State Powell
admit that they pressured the CIA to uncover "anything"?

Answer 4

You're wrong about the rest of the world not believing it. The debate in the UN wasn't whether or not Iraq had WMD. Every one believed he did. The debate was what to do about it. Just read the text of resolution 1441 which was unanimously adopted. It says:

Recognizing the threat Iraq’s non-compliance with Council resolutions and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles poses to international peace and security,
...

Deploring the fact that Iraq has not provided an accurate, full, final, and complete disclosure, as required by resolution 687 (1991), of all aspects of its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles with a range greater than one hundred and fifty kilometres, and of all holdings of such weapons, their components and production facilities and locations, as well as all other nuclear programmes, including any which it claims are for purposes not related to nuclear-weapons-usable material,

Answer 5

We were scared and had our own planes flown into the Trade towers...there was a chance there were weapons of mass destruction. Bush is not an indecisive president...he may not have the best speaking skills but he made a tough decision that he thought would benefit America the most. It was a tough call at the time. Should we sit back in case there arent weapons, or should we risk war to prevent Iraq or Afghanistan from going on the offensive first? I dont think people were wrong to believe him, and I dont think Bush should be so scorned.

Answer 6

Most people in the US have not been to Iraq. All they know about Iraq is what they see on the news. If the news says there might be WMD in Iraq, how are they going to know better?

Answer 7

interestingly enough, the discussion within multiple international forums also confirmed multiple nations suspicions of WMD presence in Iraq...... nevermind the evidence found that was little reported outside of talk radio medium, but confirmed by multiple independent observers. Also you may want to check your facts....dozens of countries joined in the so-called debacle, including neighboring countries of iraq. Many of your international detractors to the WMD story had already made pronouncements of their existence prior to the invasion, for years in fact....however most will not support extended military involvement if it means any form of sacrifice

Answer 8

It turned out that those countries that didn't support taking Saddam out had vested, financial interests in Saddam. It wasn't because they didn't "believe in WMD". They could of cared less if he had them or not. The reason we all thought they were there is because the intel as far back as Clinton said they were there.



"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members ... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."
- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

Answer 9

We, the American people, as well as the US Congress were lied to by a president that manipulated national intelligence, disttorted the truth about Iraq's WMD and sent Colin Powell to the U.N. with these same falshehoods. Bush The Arrogant was going to invade Iraq, no matter what. We Americans were lied to by our government. So, I don't think you can say "most Americans believed it" when we weren't told the truth to begin with.

Answer 10

APPARENTLY YOU ILL -INFORMED ABOUT THE FACTS AND MAYBE YOU JUST DISMISS THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T FIT WILL YOUR IDEA OF REALITY. THE FACTS ARE EASILY AVAILABLE EVEN FOR THOSE WITH AN I.Q. UNDER 30. BESIDES THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED NATIONS, GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, GERMANY, CHINA, RUSSIA, ISRAEL, SAUDI ARABIA AMONG OTHERS THROUGH THEIR INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES KNEW THAT IRAQ HAD WMD. SEVENTEEN RESOLUTIONS BY THE U.N SECURITY COUNCIL WERE IGNORED BY SADDAM. THE INSPECTORS WERE SEVERLY LIMITED AND TRACKED BEFORE THEY WERE TOSSED OUT OF THE COUNTRY. GULLIBILITY BEST DESCRIBES THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT ALL THESE SUPERB INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES ALL HAD IT WRONG. JUST THINK ABOUT THE ODDS OF THAT HAPPENING. THE ONLY REAL QUESTION SHOULD BE WHERE DID THEY GO AND WHO HAS THEM NOW.

Answer 11

There was a lot of reason to suspect that Saddam had WMDs and, truthfully, there's no reason to believe that he didn't. Don't forget that he sent a lot of equipment to his neighbors to keep it from falling into coalition hands. It's been proven that Joe Wilson's conclusions were a bunch of crap and even Bush hater Richard Clarke believed that Saddam had WMDs.