Meaning: The quote by Hans Blix, a Swedish diplomat and former head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), reflects his astonishment at the expectation of finding significant quantities of gas, chemical weapons, and biological weapons during the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. This quote encapsulates the skepticism and surprise felt by Blix and his team during their inspections in Iraq, as they found no evidence to support the claims made by some military personnel and governments.

Hans Blix was a central figure in the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, as he and his team were tasked with verifying Iraq's compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding the disarmament of weapons of mass destruction. The quote captures his incredulity at the disparity between the expectations of the military and the reality on the ground in Iraq.

The context of this quote is crucial for understanding its significance. In the lead-up to the Iraq War, the United States and other coalition countries, including the United Kingdom, cited the presence of weapons of mass destruction as a primary justification for military intervention. The Bush administration, in particular, claimed that Iraq possessed stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, as well as an active program to develop nuclear weapons. These assertions were used to build public and international support for the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

However, Hans Blix and his team, who were conducting inspections in Iraq at the time, were unable to find conclusive evidence of the existence of such weapons. Despite intense scrutiny and extensive searches of suspected sites, UNMOVIC's findings did not align with the assertions made by some military and political figures. Blix's surprise at the military's expectations reflects the disconnect between the intelligence and the actual findings on the ground.

Moreover, Blix's quote underscores the gravity of the situation, as the possibility of Iraq possessing and deploying weapons of mass destruction was a significant factor in the decision to go to war. The lack of evidence to support these claims raised serious questions about the veracity of the intelligence used to justify the invasion. The failure to find the anticipated weapons of mass destruction had far-reaching implications, as it called into question the legitimacy of the military intervention and the accuracy of the intelligence upon which it was based.

In the aftermath of the invasion, the absence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq became a subject of intense scrutiny and criticism. The discrepancy between the pre-war claims and the actual findings led to widespread debate and investigation into the accuracy of the intelligence that had been used to justify the invasion. This quote by Hans Blix serves as a poignant reminder of the skepticism and surprise surrounding the failure to uncover the anticipated weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

In conclusion, Hans Blix's quote encapsulates the disbelief and astonishment at the military's expectations regarding the discovery of gas, chemical weapons, and biological weapons in Iraq. It reflects the disconnect between the assertions made to justify the invasion and the actual findings on the ground. The quote serves as a poignant reminder of the complex and contentious circumstances surrounding the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and the implications of the failure to find conclusive evidence to support the pre-war claims.