The former chief UN weapons inspector on Sunday likened the use of intelligence by the leaders of Britain and the United States to justify war in Iraq to the tactics of insincere salesmen.
Hans Blix - who pleaded for more time to search Iraq for nuclear, chemical and biological weapons before a US-led invasion in March - said the West had a right to expect more from their leaders.
"The intention was to dramatise it (the intelligence) just as the vendors of some merchandise are trying to exaggerate the importance of what they have," Blix told BBC television.
Nearly 10 months after the war none of the biological or chemical weapons cited by US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair as the reason for a pre-emptive attack on Iraq have been found.
"From politicians, our leaders in the Western world, I think we expect more than that, a bit more sincerity," Blix said.