Democratic challenger Jim Slattery says Republican Sen. Pat Roberts bears some blame for the war in Iraq.

Slattery attacked Roberts during a debate Wednesday over Roberts' conduct as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Roberts, who is seeking a third term, supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Slattery says he would have opposed it.

Slattery said in his closing statement, that if Roberts would have said publicly said that Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein had no role in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the debate would have shifted against going to war.

After the debate, Roberts called that statement irresponsible. He said the key issue was the belief that Hussein had or was developing weapons of mass destruction.