John Edwards has much bigger questions to answer than those involving his campaign hiring matters.
On March 7, 2003, twelve days before the war begain, Chief UN weapons inspector Mohammmed El Baradei said the following in his report to the UN Security Council:
Transcript of ElBaradei's U.N. presentation
Friday, March 7, 2003
One, there is no indication of resumed nuclear activities in those buildings that were identified through the use of satellite imagery as being reconstructed or newly erected since 1998, nor any indication of nuclear-related prohibited activities at any inspected sites.
Second, there is no indication that Iraq has attempted to import uranium since 1990.
Three, there is no indication that Iraq has attempted to import aluminum tubes for use in centrifuge enrichment. Moreover, even had Iraq pursued such a plan, it would have encountered practical difficulties in manufacturing centrifuge out of the aluminum tubes in question.
Fourth, although we are still reviewing issues related to magnets and magnet-production, there is no indication to date that Iraq imported magnets for use in centrifuge enrichment program.
As I stated above, the IAEA will naturally continue further to scrutinize and investigate all of the above issues.
After three months of intrusive inspections, we have to date found no evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapon program in Iraq.
Eight days later, John Edwards said the following:
Remarks to the California State Democratic Convention
Senator John Edwards, D-NC
Sacramento, CA
March 15, 2003
But it is also a test of Presidential leadership to have the backbone to say to those who strongly disagree with you -- including your friends -- what you believe.
I believe that Saddam Hussein is a serious threat and that he must be disarmed, including with military force if necessary. We cannot allow him to have nuclear weapons.
I also believe a test for America will come after Saddam is gone. Will we make the commitment to help build a peaceful, democratic, post-Saddam Iraq? Or will we fail to follow-through, as we've done in post-Taliban Afghanistan?
Let's take a closer look:
March 7, 2003. Mohammmed El Baradei, UN weapon's inspector: "no evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapon program in Iraq."
March 15, 2003. John Edwards: "We cannot allow him to have nuclear weapons" and "I believe that Saddam Hussein is a serious threat and that he must be disarmed, including with military force if necessary
March 19, 2003: the war begins.
And this happens:
The question is:
Why was John Edwards pusing the bogus "Saddam's Nuclear threat" line 8 days after El Baradei said that there were none to be found and that there was no indication that Saddam was reconstituting it?
Apparently, the evidence staring in his face wasn't a good enough reason for Edwards to demand Bush to hold back on the war, especially after he had given Bush a complete free hand via his co-sponsorship of and the vote for the Iraq War Resolution (IWR) in October of 2002.