IRAQ: U.S. Analysts Link Iraq Labs to Germ Arms

The New York Times International ^ | May 21, 2003 | JUDITH MILLER and WILLIAM J. BROAD

[BOBTHENAILER]

"This is a very simple production facility for an easy-to-grow organism like anthrax."

Daschle & company will reply that the Pres 'just hasn't made the case'. Three isn't enough. We want to see many more of these production units before we can say "weapons of mass destruction."

[LS]

My problem with the idea that "large numbers of drums" were loaded on to trucks and driven out of Iraq to Lebanon is that WE CONTROLLED THE ROADS in the west, and had continuous aerial coverage of movements out there. I doubt seriously that any large number of anything could have gotten across the border. Maybe a couple of people, staying off the roads. I just don't find this plausible.

[finnman69]

bump

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

UNdeniable:

UK Telegraph, Jan.28, 2003.

---

Journalism is like no other "profession". Their 24/7 race for a 'story' (hopefully one which undermines the Bush admin.) produces destructive, unchecked lies. THIS administration will not put out unverified stories from "unnamed sources". They are careful and deliberate, thorough and very professional. Reporters could learn a thing or two if they got off their hypocritical soapboxes and actually modeled the military's responsible handling of the serious WMD search, and tried to, say, interview some former Iraqi scientists - or the many real victims of Hussein's brutal regime. Wankers.

[ravingnutter]

My problem with the idea that "large numbers of drums" were loaded on to trucks and driven out of Iraq to Lebanon is that WE CONTROLLED THE ROADS in the west, and had continuous aerial coverage of movements out there.

Hmmm...did a search...

Now, our intelligence sources can disclose exclusively that the relocation of Iraq’s WMD systems took place between January 10 and March 10 and was completed just 10 days before the US-led offensive was launched against Iraq. The banned arsenal, hauled in giant tankers from Iraq to Syria and from there to the Bekaa Valley under Syrian special forces and military intelligence escort, was discharged into pits 6-8 meters across and 25-35 meters deep dug by Syrian army engineers. They were sealed and planted over with new seedlings. Nonetheless, their location is known and detectable with the right instruments. Our sources have learned that Syria was paid about $35 million to make Saddam Hussein’s forbidden weapons disappear.

Debka (consider the source warning)

Was it possible at that time? Also...you may have forgotten the following (several sources popped up for the info, the most credible being Rep. Engel, who is a member of the House Subcommittee on the Middle East)...

“In the last week, America has learned that Syria is arming Iraq with night vision scopes, expediting the passage of thousands of radical volunteers into northern Iraq to fight against American forces and possibly hiding Iraqi weapons - including weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to carry them. It is all too clear that Syria is not a friend or ally of the United States. It is time for the Administration to get tough, and not just talk tough, with a charter member of the State Department’s list of state sponsors or terrorism.”

Engel Press Release

11 May 03 - Newsweek- HE ALSO ASKED Assad to rein in Lebanon's Hizbullah, a terror outfit that operates with Syrian complicity. The U.S. focus on Syria heightened during the recent war in Iraq, when Syria allowed both military supplies and volunteers to flow across its border into Iraq.

Drudge

Syria is granting free passage across its border with Iraq to volunteers who wish to join the fight against the U.S. and British forces. Thus far, dozens of volunteers, primarily Palestinians from the refugee camps in Lebanon, have crossed over into Iraq through Syrian-controlled border posts. The passage of volunteers with Damascus's consent has given rise to the theory that the U.S.-fired missile that struck a Syrian bus traveling in Iraq was an intentional attack on a busload of such volunteers. The bus left Damascus on Sunday and was hit by the missile some 50 kilometers inside Iraqi territory. The missile strike left five people dead and dozens injured. Speaking on the subject, the Syrian military analyst, Hitham al-Kilani, said in an interview on Al Jazeera, on 24 March, that "the Syrian border was opened to Syrian, Arab and Muslim volunteers wishing to reach Iraq and participate in the fighting against the American invasion." Al Kilani said that the Syrian border was also open to Iraqi refugees seeking to enter Syria as a result of the fighting in their country. If the attack against the bus was not an accident, it shows that U.S. intelligence is aware of the movement of these volunteers, via Syria, into Iraq. While many Arab states have voiced opposition to the American offensive in Iraq, Syria is the sole country that has opened its border to volunteers seeking to join the Iraqi forces.

Arab News Source

In other words, it is not only possible, it is likely.

[LS]

It is possible: I didn't say it wasn't. Timing, though, would be critical.

But I am growing concerned that we don't set ourselves up for another "international gotcha" if we claim everything now is in ANOTHER country, and we have to invade Syria too. I'm not opposed to eradicating Syria per se, but we (conservatives) do need some common sense, and the American public will not take too many cries of "wolf" if we don't produce the weapons. I think in Iraq, the combination of cheering Iraqis and the terror camps was plenty sufficient for the public to "feel good" about the war---ditto Afghanistan---but without some REALLY hard proof of these things in Iran or Syria, I don't think the administration will consider any further expansion of the war.

That said, ONE ATTACK witn ONE LINK, and it's bye bye Damascus.

[ravingnutter]

I personally think we oughta wipe out the Hezbollah and Hamas camps in Syria [justification: the war on terror]...we know where they are...and then ask Assad one more time about the WMD.

[ravingnutter]

Yikes...was doing a search and came up with...

For nearly 20 years, Hezbollah has been armed and trained solely by Iran, while Syria provided the group a haven in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

Syria helps Iran arm Hezbollah

The same Bekaa Valley where the WMD is supposedly stored...now THAT'S scary.