A senior U.S. Defense Department official believes that the establishment of a new government in Iraq will help advance the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense, told reporters on Wednesday that Iraq and Iran are two major disruptors of the peace process. He added that Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq, is someone who supports suicide bombers with his words and money, thereby only exacerbating violence. Mr. Wolfowitz is among the senior officials in the Bush administration who advocate for the removal of the Iraqi president from power. He also stated that Iraq's efforts to produce biological weapons for mass destruction create a dangerous situation, and said we cannot live indefinitely with these weapons.
The Regime Change in Baghdad Will Help Advance the Middle East Peace Process - 2002-05-16
A senior U.S. Defense official argues that a new Iraqi government would facilitate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Paul Wolfowitz identifies Iraq and Iran as major obstacles and emphasizes the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's support for violence and weapons production. This perspective reflects U.S. policy intentions in the region during the early 2000s.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Paul Wolfowitz stated that the establishment of a new government in Iraq would help advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, citing Saddam Hussein's support for violence as a major obstacle. He emphasized the dangers posed by Iraq's biological weapons program.
- Wolfowitz identifies Iraq and Iran as major disruptors of peace in the Middle East.
- The U.S. government was actively considering regime change in Iraq as part of its broader strategy.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
In the early 2000s, the U.S. was focused on combating terrorism and perceived threats from regimes like Iraq and Iran, which were seen as supporting anti-Israel activities.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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