Report: U.S suspects Iraqi WMD in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley

Drudge via World Tribune ^ | Monday, August 25, 2003

[RoughDobermann]

U.S. intelligence suspects Iraq's weapons of mass destruction have finally been located.

Unfortunately, getting to them will be nearly impossible for the United States and its allies, because the containers with the strategic materials are not in Iraq.

Instead they are located in Lebanon's heavily-fortified Bekaa Valley, swarming with Iranian and Syrian forces, and Hizbullah and ex-Iraqi agents, Geostrategy-Direct.com will report in tomorrow's new weekly edition.

U.S. intelligence first identified a stream of tractor-trailer trucks moving from Iraq to Syria to Lebaon in January 2003. The significance of this sighting did not register on the CIA at the time.

U.S. intelligence sources believe the area contains extended-range Scud-based missiles and parts for chemical and biological warheads.

Mutually-lucrative Iraqi-Syrian arms transactions are nothing new. Firas Tlas, son of Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas, has been the key to Syria's rogue alliance with Iraq. He and Assad made hundreds of millions of dollars selling weapons, oil and drugs to and from Iraq, according to the May 13, 2003 edition of Geostrategy-Direct.com.

The CIA now believes a multi-million dollar deal between Iraq and Syria provided for the hiding and safekeeping of Saddam's strategic weapons.

Not surprisingly, U.S. inquiries in Beirut and Syria are being met with little substantive response, U.S. officials said.

[labowski]

MOAB bump!

[eureka!]

In time, the truth will out...

[Quilla]

[KevinDavis]

Patience is required.

[billbears]

U.S. intelligence first identified a stream of tractor-trailer trucks moving from Iraq to Syria to Lebaon in January 2003. The significance of this sighting did not register on the CIA at the time.

LOL!! I guess the rhetoric for Project Bomb Syria wasn't going over very well lately. What to do, what to do? I know, they've got WMDs!!! Personally I figured they were going to be in Iran next...

[RoughDobermann]

U.S. intelligence first identified a stream of tractor-trailer trucks moving from Iraq to Syria to Lebaon in January 2003. The significance of this sighting did not register on the CIA at the time.

Yeah, sure it didn't...

[b4its2late]

Agreed. Lob a MOAB or Three into the valley and see what blowed up!

[RS]

"Unfortunately, getting to them will be nearly impossible for the United States and its allies,..."

Gee... I wonder if we have a friend in that area that would have no qualms about taking them out ?

[swarthyguy]

Actually, DEBKA claimed this a few months ago.

[RoughDobermann]

Actually, DEBKA claimed this a few months ago

You know the old saying about a stopped clock, right? ;-)

[Semper Paratus]

getting to them will be nearly impossible for the United States

And why is that?

[.cnI redruM]

THe signifigence didn't register??

Why hasn't Bush seriously overhauled the CIA?

What did they think those guys were hauling. Three years worth of Islamic Jihad Keg Party Fodder? Our intelligence agencies, whether run by Dems or GOPers, are apallingly bad. They spy worse than I spell.

[Frank_Discussion]

"Unfortunately, getting to them will be nearly impossible for the United States and its allies, because the containers with the strategic materials are not in Iraq."

Faulty logic here, methinks. If we become very SURE that is where the materiel was secreted to, I think we'll get to them easily.

"U.S. intelligence first identified a stream of tractor-trailer trucks moving from Iraq to Syria to Lebaon in January 2003. The significance of this sighting did not register on the CIA at the time."

In the post-9/11 world as of January of 2003, and the CIA didn't think this was significant? Not bloody likely.

"U.S. intelligence sources believe the area contains
The CIA now believes a multi-million dollar deal between Iraq and Syria provided for the hiding and safekeeping of Saddam's strategic weapons."

If true, Syria should duck and cover.

[finnman69]

U.S. intelligence first identified a stream of tractor-trailer trucks moving from Iraq to Syria to Lebaon in January 2003. The significance of this sighting did not register on the CIA at the time.

I find that hard to believe.I think we knew early on they were moving this stuff out.

[RoughDobermann]

LOL! See 7.

[cajungirl]

of course we knew, we just waited and watched till they went to the place where the really really bad guys congregate. Now we will see what we are made of.

[Frank_Discussion]

If I was a battlefield commander, I would be pretty pleased to know that such stuff was being trucked at least a little to the outskirts of the theatre. And Saddam probably thought we wouldn't have the stones to go after it all in a country other than Iraq.

This last point may have been a wee miscalculation...

[cajungirl]

whatever,,

[vin-one]

they should do more than duck and cover
they may need to leave the area completely
nuclear waste takes a long time to disapate

Big Bang Bump.....

[OXENinFLA]

YEAH, That's what I was thinking too.

[adam_az]

DEBKA reported this in the weeks before the war.

[arete]

Unfortunately, getting to them will be nearly impossible for the United States and its allies, because the containers with the strategic materials are not in Iraq.

As if we all couldn't see this latest excuse for not producing a single WMD coming from a mile away. Isn't this where we came in on this? We know they have them but can't prove it. Too funny.

Richard W.

[Mo1]

Instead they are located in Lebanon's heavily-fortified Bekaa Valley, swarming with Iranian and Syrian forces, and Hizbullah and ex-Iraqi agents, Geostrategy-Direct.com will report in tomorrow's new weekly edition.

I wonder what excuse the French will about this?

[GraniteStateConservative]

Sadly, as much of a bunch of f#@k-ups as they are, they are better than nothing which is what the alternative is. You can't reform the CIA without deciding to go deaf in intelligence management for the period of transition.

[hchutch]

If this is true, then Bashir Assad has made the last mistake of his life.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Don't hold your breath. I think we're done warring for a while.

[Starrgaizr]

LOL!! I guess the rhetoric for Project Bomb Syria wasn't going over very well lately. What to do, what to do? I know, they've got WMDs!!! Personally I figured they were going to be in Iran next...

We will remain one step behind as the WMDs travel throughout the Arab lands (and France).

[Poohbah]

If this is true, then Bashir Assad has made the last mistake of his life.

Leave the gun, take the canneloni.

[SolutionsOnly]

Wow. All those bad guys concentrated in such a small area.
Interesting....

[RoughDobermann]

As if we all couldn't see this latest excuse for not producing a single WMD coming from a mile away

Since Iraq has used and, therefore, at the very least DID at one point have WMDs, I think I'll be more patient before I cast judgement, thanks.

[A.A. Cunningham]

The significance of this sighting did not register on the CIA at the time.

George Tenet is Col. Flagg.

[hchutch]

One side benefit to this: When we go in on our WMD hunt, we can settle an old score as well. I believe Hezbollah hangs out in Lebanon.

[sheltonmac]

What is this "U.S. intelligence" the article talks about?

[Uncle Miltie]

"U.S. intelligence first identified a stream of tractor-trailer trucks moving from Iraq to Syria to Lebaon in January 2003. The significance of this sighting did not register on the CIA at the time."

WTF? - Alert!

[TUX]

Give the nod to Israel. The residue will clear the valley for many years to come and provide a nice contaminated buffer.

[Mo1]

If this is true, then Bashir Assad has made the last mistake of his life

You're right .. it's not a very bright move

[jriemer]

Chrological US Marine History in Lebanon

The Arab Street didn't think we were going to get involved in Lebanon back in 1982 but we did. They've got a terrible track record predicting the actions of Republican Presidents.

[RobRoy]

Heh, heh...

Good one!

[Rome2000]

I'm pretty sure almost every muslim counrty has WMD and needs to be bombed.

[cake_crumb]

"U.S. intelligence first identified a stream of tractor-trailer trucks moving from Iraq to Syria to Lebaon in January 2003. The significance of this sighting did not register on the CIA at the time"

I find that hard to believe.

[billbears]

Not whatever. Conservatives should be asking why? Why do we continue to accept excuse after excuse from this or any other administration for wars based on misleading intelligence? We were told WMDs were there and it was of utmost importance to get there and force Hussein out of power so he couldn't use them. They searched for months, Kay comes out and promises he may tell us something in September. US troops have caught almost all of the 'deck of cards' folks and still nothing.

Then all of the sudden, out of the blue, 'intelligence' reports tell us, 'oops, they were moved four months before the war but we just didn't know why all those transfer trucks were moving'? What did they think it was?!?

[Kieri]

What's chilling is just how close the Bekka Valley is to Israel. It's in the northwestern area of Lebanon, but its a LOT closer to Israel than Iraq!

"I will drive the northern army far from you,
pushing it into a parched and barren land,
with its front columns going into the eastern sea.
And its stench will go up;
it's smell will rise."
Surely he has done great things.

- The Lord's answer to to Israel
Joel 2:20

[BOBTHENAILER]

Bashir Assad has made the last mistake of his life.

Great Line.

[kidd]

[Adder]

Worse, Hezbollah will choose to use them in the next suicide belts they manufacture destined for Jerusalem.

[alpowolf]

U.S. intelligence suspects Iraq's weapons of mass destruction have finally been located.

"Suspects"? That inspires confidence. Well, I'm waiting to see if the govt will try to run with this one, and how they'll try to convince us that this time they're really sure.

[detsaoT]

Bekaa Valley has been a training ground and base-of-operations for terrorism for at least 30 years. I'd say that burning the whole dang valley to the ground would *not* be a bad thing, considering the fact that most of the residents of said valley are terrorist groups...

[rwfromkansas]

Won't work. We need to get the WMD's intact out of there.