Iraq [was Re: [CLUE-Talk] Slashdot Gun Control]

[Randy Arabie]

On Monday, 16 December 2002 at 17:32:16 -0700, Matt Gushee <mgushee at havenrock.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 16, 2002 at 03:11:38PM -0700, David Willson wrote:
> 
> > - We have good reasons to believe that Iraq is developing nukes, and
> > that they have biological weapons. 
> 
> Do we, now? Have you heard those reasons? I haven't heard any evidence,
> only repeated assertions that it exists. If you believe the president
> simply because he is the president, then I guess there's no convincing
> you. But:
> 
>  * Scott Ritter, former chief UN weapons inspector, has made repeated
>    public statements that Iraq's nuclear weapons program was effectively
>    destroyed by the Gulf War and the subsequent inspection regime. He is
>    said to be a conservative and to have strongly supported Bush before
>    this issue arose.
>    Ref: http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/09/08/ritter.iraq/
>        (Google for "scott ritter" for many more articles)
>  * Hans Blix, current chief inspector, says roughly the same thing.
>    Ref: http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/09/05/iraq.nuclear/
>         (ditto on Google)
 
While no evidence has been presented to confirm that Iraq has WMD of any
form, I think we do have good reasons to beleive they do or are in the 
process of developing them.

I have reserved judgement pending the outcome of the current inspections 
and Iraq's compliance (or lack thereof) with the recent UN sanctions.  If 
there is existing evidence the administration is entitled to keep it secret 
until they want to move forward with military action.

It is well known that the UN weapons inspections following the Gulf War 
were hindered by Iraqi deception and denial of access.  The
International Institute for Strategic Studies "dossier" on Iraq seems to
contradict Mr. Ritters statements.  

See http://www.iiss.org/confStatement.php?confID=3

And reports here: http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=217 speak of a  
multinational task force made up of special forces who have been in 
Iraq for over three months gathering evidence on Iraq's WMD programs.
Perhaps that is Washington's source of "hard evidence" that is being 
kept secret.

And this just last week: "US Suspect Al Qaeda Got Nerve Agent From
Iraqis"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42876-2002Dec11.html

I think we could cite reports and sources of information for hours that 
support either side of the argument.  We will not know until the
evidence is presented.  Until that time, I look at Iraqs history and
say, "Saddam has denied, lied and deceived in the past.  I suspect he 
does have WMD and/or programs to develop them."

I don't support war a against Iraq without evidence supporting those 
suspicions.  And, I don't expect the US to go to war without presenting 
the evidence.

[snip]

>  * If aggressive states with nuclear weapons are such a menace, why
>    haven't we already invaded North Korea? They openly admit to having a
>    nuclear weapons program, and have fired several test missiles into
>    Japanese waters. Or what about Pakistan, which not only has nukes,
>    but is taking our money and using it to brutally suppress human
>    rights--and probably also to protect Taliban and Al Qaida fugitives?

Even with the best military in the world, we can't take them all at 
once. Perhaps one of them will be next. If an example is made of Iraq, then 
we will have greater leverage in diplomatic negotiations with the rest of the 
"Axis of Evil".

Additionally, Iraq is an easier target.  The North Korean army is substantially larger than Iraq's.  Iran is already on the verge of political collapse.  Perhaps the administration is awaiting the outcome of that before putting the pressure on Iran.

Speaking of Iran, I recently read a book by a former CIA field officer, 
Robert Baer, titled "See No Evil".  If what Mr. Baer says is true, Iran
is a much greater threat threat than Iraq.  The evidence linking them to 
terrorism is very strong.  I really am puzzled at why we have allowed 
Iran a pass for so many decades.  It is also disturbing to see how 
disfunctional our intelligence community has become.

Here are a few links to info on Baer and his book:

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/ae/books/ch1/1278032
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/community/DailyNews/chat_bobbaer020118.html

-- 
Allons Rouler!
        
Randy
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