Operation Desert Fox - degrading Iraq's weapons of mass destruction

From Defense Link

Excuse me but if there are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, then why did President Clinton launch "Operation Desert Fox" and issue the following statement to the American people clearly stating his reasons for it.

Less than an hour after American and British forces launched
Operation Desert Fox, the president addressed the nation to
explain his decision. He said the attack was designed to protect
the national interests of the United States and the interests of
people throughout the Middle East and around the world.

"Saddam Hussein must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or
the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons,"
Clinton said. The Iraqi dictator has used these weapons against
his neighbors and his own people, he said, and "left unchecked,
Saddam Hussein will use these terrible weapons again."

I mean, in order to "use these terrible weapons again", don't you have to have them?

Operation Desert Fox's Mission Goals

MISSION GOALS: To degrade Saddam Hussein's ability to make and to use weapons of mass destruction. To diminish Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war against his neighbors. To demonstrate to Saddam Hussein the consequences of violating international obligations.

So, if we merely "degraded" them and didn't "destroy" them, they were still there prior to the start of Iraqi Freedom.
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