The secretary of state played recorded excerpts of conversations between Iraqi officials and field agents -- as recently as last week -- showing that the Iraqis have been scrambling to evacuate any trace of prohibited arms before U.N. weapons inspectors find them. One conversation was recorded after weapons inspectors found 12 empty chemical warheads on Jan. 16.
An Iraqi official told Fox News in Baghdad that the "United States is just looking for a chance to go to war." The official said the intercepts used by Powell could have been "faked," and said "any defector could’ve made them. That’s not proof."
But Powell said sources have told the United States that the Iraqis also have gotten rid of hard drives containing vital information regarding Baghdad's banned weapons program, as well as the weapons themselves.
"Every statement I make today is backed up by sources -- solid sources," Powell said. "These are not assertions. Instead of cooperating, Saddam Hussein and his regime are busy doing all they possibly can to ensure inspectors succeed in finding absolutely nothing."
