Saddam's Subway of Mass Destruction

gogov.com ^ | Feb 24, 2003

[MissBaby]

The Iraqi government used plans to build a Baghdad subway to cover up work on underground tunnels designed to hide weapons of mass destruction, according to a man described as one of Saddam Hussein's former top scientists.

Hussein Shahristani told the told a CBS network's 60 Minutes show that subway plans drawn up by several foreign firms were given to the Iraqi military to hide and move around the country's weapons of mass destruction.

Shahristani's contacts now tell him that Saddam wants to use the tunnels to form a belt with deadly chemical agents around Baghdad.

"Nobody can escape and whoever wants to attack the city has to cross this chemical belt first and then enter into street fighting," he said.

Saddam could also hide in the tunnels, which could provide him with an escape route.

"He actually has a tunnel that can withstand a nuclear blast and if he survives in the tunnel, he has won the war because, for him, winning the war means surviving it," Shahristani said.

The scientist, who was held prisoner for 11 years and tortured, said he believes there are now "more than 100 kilometres of very complex network, multi-layer tunnels".

Shahristani was imprisoned for refusing to build an atomic bomb, and escaped prison during a bombing raid during the 1991 Gulf

[MissBaby]

When they go in (not if) they will find much more than anyone expected. Why the wait?

[piasa]

Shahristani's contacts now tell him that Saddam wants to use the tunnels to form a belt with deadly chemical agents around Baghdad.

This makes no sense. Does he think Hussein expects us to dig our way into Baghdad?

(And if thery were above ground it's just as silly since if you ringed your city with chemical weapons and then had to set them off, all you would do is kill everyone in town no matter which way the wind blows.)

[this_ol_patriot]

Another reason to go in when it's cool out. It's easy to figure out why.

[MissBaby]

Good points. And, about him using bioweapons, how well protected are his soldiers? Have you heard anything on this?

[CruisinAround]

You are assuming he cares.

[Nitro]

Do you think he calls it the IRT??

Iraqi Rapid Transit!!

This joke depends on you knowing we have the IRT, the IND and the BMT in NYC!!

[The Raven]

Can't the inspectors see this ???

Is this for real?

[gaucho]

(CBS) Plans for a Baghdad subway were used instead to build underground tunnels to hide Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, says one of the Iraqi dictator's former top scientists. Dr. Hussein Shahristani, once Iraq's top nuclear scientist, speaks to Steve Kroft for a 60 Minutes report to be broadcast Sunday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Shahristani says subway plans drawn up by several international firms were given to the Iraqi military. "[Hussein] told his military, "Well, we have these designs for the tunnels, go ahead and do them, but not for metro, for our weapons of mass destruction. We can hide them, move them around,?" he tells Kroft. "I've spoken to one person who has been in these tunnels," says Shahristani, "We believe now it is more than 100 kilometers of very complex network, multi-layer tunnels."

Among the weapons Shahristani believes may be hidden in the tunnels are deadly agents like Sarin, possibly anthrax and also the nerve agent VX. The oily, sticky VX is what the former chemist's contacts are telling him Hussein wants to use to form a chemical belt around Baghdad. "VX will kill within a few minutes or a few seconds? The lethal dose of it is one milligram. So nobody can escape and whoever wants to attack the city has to cross this chemical belt first and then enter into street fighting," says Shahristani.

The tunnels may also hide Hussein or provide an escape route for him. "He actually has a tunnel that can withstand a nuclear blast and if he survives in the tunnel, he has won the war because, for him, winning the war means surviving it," Shahristani says.

U.N. inspectors have told 60 Minutes they have heard of the tunnels for years, but cannot find their entrances. The U.S. government may know more about them, however. A Pasadena, Calif., firm designed a portion of the subway years ago and its blueprints are now in the hands of government officials.

Shahristani was tortured and spent 11 years in solitary for refusing to build an atomic bomb for Hussein. He escaped prison during an Allied bombing raid during the Gulf War. He hopes to return to his homeland and help rebuild it after the war he is sure will begin soon.

[David Isaac]

The main point is that Saddam has had far too much time to execute all of his nasty little plans. Their is no arguing the point that Bush Sr. committed a monstrous error in letting that animal off the hook in '91. If he could not have convinced the reasonable world (some parts of which, never will be) that Saddam deserved to go, after his trashing of the environment, he would have to been considered to be incapable of being a leader in the free world.

Now we are wasting even more time and for exactly the same reason. Our leader(s) are much more concerned with world opinion than they are with the safety and security of American citizens. Any casualties that occur because of defenses constructed in the last few months or any upcoming months, should weigh heavily on the minds of certain people.

[guitfiddlist]

So Saddam thinks we're gonna have to take the A-train into Baghdad?

[Physicist]

U.N. inspectors have told 60 Minutes they have heard of the tunnels for years, but cannot find their entrances.

No problemo. When the above-ground Iraqis surrender, they will go out of their way to usher the U.S. troops to the entrances.

[aristeides]

In the Battle of Berlin, the Russians flooded the Nazis' tunnels. In fact, some of them were still flooded when I was stationed there in 1970-2.

[Coop]

Their is no arguing the point that Bush Sr. committed a monstrous error in letting that animal off the hook in '91. If he could not have convinced the reasonable world (some parts of which, never will be) that Saddam deserved to go, after his trashing of the environment, he would have to been considered to be incapable of being a leader in the free world.

Hindsight is so wonderful, ain't it? I can tell you that many of us who were over there were disappointed that we did not continue into Baghdad to finish off the tyrant, but we also understood why that decision was made. To claim President Bush the Elder was not capable of leadership is laughable.

[reformedliberal]

There was a UN Resolution and an international coalition and the mandate was limited to freeing Kuwait.

Blame the UN. Blame the coalition. Blame anyone who still believes in surgical strikes.

[David Isaac]

Would you have me believe that the WILL of the U.S. is subservient to the will of the U.N.?

Any president who believes that, IS incapable of leading the U.S. We are on a slippery slope and gaining speed by the minute

[arkady_renko]

"Any casualties that occur because of defenses constructed in the last few months or any upcoming months, should weigh heavily on the minds of certain people."

As should the innocent lives saved by prudent, careful planning weigh on certain other people.

AR

[Coop]

Would you have me believe that the WILL of the U.S. is subservient to the will of the U.N.?

I believe that keeping the word of a President to a coalition of nations is PARAMOUNT to good leadership.

Your narrow vision is a perfect example of characteritics not becoming of a national leader.

[Coop]

Any casualties that occur because of defenses constructed in the last few months or any upcoming months, should weigh heavily on the minds of certain people.

U.N. inspectors have told 60 Minutes they have heard of the tunnels for years, but cannot find their entrances.