The ‘coverup’ was really a ‘silencing’.
Our troops were sent into Iraq in Desert Storm and received either chemical, biological, or both attacks. The administration denied it despite the fact we had troops coming home medically messed up for unknown reasons that held no other explanation. Was Saddam in possession of Yellow Cake? Possibly up till months or even weeks before our second invasion. We told them we were coming. My guess is one nation knew for certain and that was Israel.
On Sept 11, 2001 we were attacked in acts of war by foreign nationals none of which IIRC were Iraqi. Yet no country of those nationalities likely received so much as a stern memo.
Cole was attack and for reasons IMO that defy any logic the ship was two days from other ships and fueling in a known bad port instead of at sea. Again Yemen suffered no stern punishment. Strength in numbers protocol was broken. Using Suez encouraged it.
Deals have been made including locating a USN shipyard in UAE. If you want to know the inter-workings of any ship the yards is the place. Subic Bay was previously used for most needed repairs.
Here's the whole thing that's the kicker IMO. War? It can only be done with success IF the ones sending troops into battle have a will to win. As big a socialist FDR was on all other issues he understood war. It can't be kind nor the hands of the troops tied or restrained. You can't say kill then turn around and Court Martial for same. War on the receiving end of the loss as such is usually a judgement. How to fight and win in war was taught in the book of Joshua. Barbaric some may say but that's the whole point. The seriousness should be fully considered before declaring it and indeed I'm a firm believer in a congressional declaration being required by congress. Once declared unleash the troops into combat with unrestrained prejudice and thank the troops when they return.
Night three of Gulf War Two it was obvious what we were doing. Our method and agenda was wrong and today we as a nation pay. Iraq's total infrastructure should have been leveled. Every power plant, bridge, factory, communications facility, runway, etc. We sent a wrong message actually several. Our congress and POTUS lacked the will of allowing a full military operation to be completed. It got worse. Our troops came under persecution by Iraqi nationals with the likes of Murtha making certain troops rotted in the Brig until Court Martial.
We brought prisoners to GITMO. OK fine. After our INTEL people were finished Military Tribunals should have been held. Those there should have been tried before the 2008 election. Saddam should have also been executed by U.S. Armed Forces. He wasn't because were were engaged in a much bigger mistake. Nation Building. Instead the new government executed him.
Nation building in a nation where it's culture has been one of ongoing wars and religious extremism behind many of the tribal fights is insanity. Now for a third time our troops face an armed Iraq we armed.
If we had leveled Iraq at Gulf War One many events that followed may have been prevented. This goes back to the Ford administration and Carter as well where they signed E.O. prohibiting the assassination of ones considered heads of state. That EO Green Lighted state sponsored terrorism. If a person goes back and looks at timelines of terrorist attacks this began that era. We included thugs like Arafat, Saddam, and others in this. Our Constitution doesn't prohibit the taking out of a foreign leader and means was written in it as an alternative to full scale war.
I hate to say it about Iraq but it quickly became a huge Payola for contractors. Bush in the Bush/Gore debate blasted Clinton/Gore for nation building yet we immediate did the same. National culture means everything. In Japan there was something there to work with. In the Middle East there will never be peace until The Lord Himself returns and brings the final conclusion.