Interview with Richard Butler,
Former UN Chief Weapons Inspector
by Terry Lane
March 2, 2003

"This is obfuscatory nonsense of the first order, and it's time that people stood up and told him so, and that's why I'm going to stand up in public today and say so."

Australian, Richard Butler tells host Terry Lane why he has decided to join public demonstrations against a US-led war in Iraq.

Terry Lane: The United Nations Chief Weapons Inspector, Dr Hans Blix has presented his report on Iraq to the United Nations, and while he hasn't found any smoking guns, he is unimpressed with the level of disclosure that he's getting from the Iraqi regime. But he says that things have improved, even if the co-operation falls short of being unconditional. On the other hand, in delivering his report, Dr Blix rejected some of the evidence that Colin Powell had presented to the Security Council on February 5th.

The inspectors say that they have found no evidence of nuclear activity so far. Dr Blix says that inspectors have made progress and they want more time. France, Germany, Russia, China and some other nations are ready to give them more time; the Americans, and presumably the Australian government, are not. Well to cast an experienced eye over the Blix report this morning I spoke to the former Head of the United Nations Weapons Inspectors in Iraq, Richard Butler. And the reason for doing it this morning, I should point out if you're listening to this program on Monday, I'm talking about Sunday morning, the reason I recorded this interview with Richard Butler before the program went to air, was that he was off to the No War Rally in Sydney, and I asked him why.. . . .

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