Posted on 06/08/2005 12:41:03 PM PDT by rightfielder
Saddam never had WMD? Below please find two articles that refute the idea that there were never any WMD in Iraq. Lately I have read silly things like, “Saddam never had WMD’s.” Let us not be fooled by revisionist history. These two articles speak for themselves...
BOSTON, MA (April 29, 1993) - For the first time ever, scientists have been able to prove the use of chemical weapons through the analysis of environmental residues taken years after such an attack occurred. In a development that could have far-reaching consequences for the enforcement of the chemical weapons treaty, soil samples taken from bomb craters near a Kurdish village in northern Iraq by a team of forensic scientists have been found to contain trace evidence of nerve gas. The samples were collected on June 10, 1992 by a forensic team assembled by the Boston-based Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and the New York-based Middle East Watch (MEW), a division of Human Rights Watch (HRW). The samples were forwarded to the Chemical & Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) of Great Britain's Ministry of Defence at Porton Down which analyzed them. Eyewitnesses have said that Iraqi warplanes dropped three clusters each of four bombs on the village of Birjinni on August 25, 1988. Observers recall seeing a plume of black, then yellowish smoke, followed by a not-unpleasant odor similar to fertilizer, and also a smell like rotten garlic. Shortly afterwards, villagers began to have trouble breathing, their eyes watered, their skin blistered, and many vomited--some of whom died. All of these symptoms are consistent with a poison gas attack."These scientific results prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Iraqi government has consistently lied to the world on denying that these attacks occurred," said PHR and HRW. http://www.phrusa.org/research/chemical_weapons/chemiraqgas2.html
Posted on Sun, Apr. 06, 2003 Troops, journalists undergo cleanup for nerve gas exposure By TOM LASSETERKnight Ridder Newspapers ALBU MUHAWISH, Iraq - U.S. soldiers evacuated an Iraqi military compound on Sunday after tests by a mobile laboratory confirmed evidence of sarin nerve gas. More than a dozen soldiers of the Army's 101st Airborne Division had been sent earlier for chemical weapons decontamination after they exhibited symptoms of possible exposure to nerve agents.The evacuation of dozens of soldiers Sunday night followed a day of tests for the nerve agent that came back positive, then negative. Additional tests Sunday night by an Army Fox mobile nuclear, biological and chemical detection laboratory confirmed the existence of sarin.Sgt. Todd Ruggles, a biochemical expert attached to the 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne said, "I was right" that chemical agents Iraq has denied having were present.In addition to the soldiers sent for decontamination, a Knight Ridder reporter, a CNN cameraman and two Iraqi prisoners of war also were hosed down with water and bleach.U.S. soldiers found the suspect chemicals at two sites: an agricultural warehouse containing 55-gallon chemical drums and a military compound, which soldiers had begun searching on Saturday. The soldiers also found hundreds of gas masks and chemical suits at the military complex, along with large numbers of mortar and artillery rounds.Chemical tests for nerve agents in the warehouse came back positive for so-called G-Series nerve agents, which include sarin and tabun, both of which Iraq has been known to possess. More than a dozen infantry soldiers who guarded the military compound Saturday night came down with symptoms consistent with exposure to very low levels of nerve agent, including vomiting, dizziness and skin blotches.A hand-held scanning device also indicated the soldiers had been exposed to a nerve agent. Two tests at the compound were negative, but further testing indicated sarin was present. http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=1981062252256〈=en-US&FORM=CVRE2
To order a DVD with graphic proof of Saddam's crimes, visit http://www.iraqitruthproject.com/
LOL. You're probably correct.
Much like the Holocaust was orchestrated by the Jews no doubt...
Lame.
That's your opinion. The guy killed scores of innocent people.
Please! - The Russians can't even build SAMs that work - There is no way the Russians have some "super secret" ability to remove all residuals from an active WMD program.
Just not possible. Plain and simple. This isn't Hollywood. And the Russians have no history of being as effective and this Russian propaganda (to an offhanded extent) tries to proclaim they are.
Nor is it possible of the thousands an thousands of interrogations we have given to Iraqis that not one would take the "get out of jail free card and be a millionaire" option.
Again, Saddam was a threat. He needed to be removed. Freedom and self-worth are the real keys to changing the ME - However, chasing the ghosts of an active WMD program at the end of Saddam reign is not useful or needed in my opinion.
Nobody forgets this (nor is this what we were discussing to a larger extent) - Those WMDs you are talking about were from Saddam's late 80's, early 90's production (before Gulf War I) -
However, we suspected (and our CIA assured President GWB) that Saddam had an active and producing WMD program up and running in 2003. This has turned out not to be the case.
But in the big picture, so what! (other than showing how our CIA doesn't have a clue half the time) - It was only 1 of 17 reasons we went into Iraq to remove him.
"However, we suspected (and our CIA assured President GWB) that Saddam had an active and producing WMD program up and running in 2003. This has turned out not to be the case."
We know he had a research program. We have documentation to prove it.
"Please! - The Russians can't even build SAMs that work"
Non-sequiter. And please don't lecture me on the ineffectiveness of Soviet propaganda. We're you asleep in the 80's?
You make my point for me! - They Russians always had a great propaganda program (probably good enough even that this ex-KGB guy believed they could remove all WMD residuals, etc).
But it was all propaganda. The Russians couldn't do anything ANYWHERE near what they claimed to be able to do in reality! (nor could any of their weapon systems).
It is simply foolish to think that an active WMD program could be removed from a Country in less than 6 months with no residuals left over that America couldn't find. Simply not possible.
Retread?
This one sounds familiar...
Okay; that makes sense. But I don't consider him a WMD to the U.S. The guy was and is a sick joke on the world stage.
So what? - About every nation on this planet has a "research program" - Our thoughts on WMDs in Iraq where not over a research program but over a production program of WMDs
We expected to find and active WMD production process going on within Iraq. This hasn't been found.
But again, at least now we know. Furthermore Iraq having an active WMD program was 1 of only 17 reasons on why we moved with our actions. Which history is showing was the correct action. (and which common sense has said was the right course of action from the very beginning).
So what? A madman who has used WMDs before, has researched weaponization of WMDs, and who actively supports terror cells in the ME. All that matters is that Saddam was in a position to hand off WMDs to a terror cell for an anonymous attack on the US.
Why are you trying to whitewash this?
No, it is simply foolish to not think outside the box. Saddam was crazy like a fox and had years of practice evading our inspection teams. If not, whats with all the dual-use facilities?
Then explain how they managed to set up satellite nations in most of Africa and South America?
Not with the next-generation FOX vehicles. Chemical agents were detected and confirmed by american forces, then discounted by UN personel. Like all the radioactive scrap metal that ended up in Belgian junkyards.
Why are you trying to whitewash this?
Listen friend, I have been to Iraq. I am not trying to whitewash anything. But the fact of the matter is when we discussed WMDs (prior to going into Iraq) we did not mean "he was doing research on them!!!" - We meant he had WMDs and he (Saddam) also have an active WMD program up and running (and producing them).
We have been shocked to find that Saddam did not have the WMD program up and running that we thought he did. That is a fact!
Now, I agree completely with you that he needed to be removed (all who know me on here know I have been a vocal supporter of OIF and the GWOT...which OIF is part of).
There is also no doubt that Saddam had all the capabilities to start up a renewed WMD program on reality short notice (though he hadn't been doing that in the last few years). Though the MSM never want to discuss this fact, that he very well had all the capabilities in place to reconstitute his WMD program.
But I do not find the need to make up scenario's in which Saddam really did have an active WMD program up and running (when it appears he did not). I also do not find the need (nor believe for even one second) that the Russians have the where-with-all to help completely remove such a WMD program. - They can hardly build an effective one let alone completely dismantle and remove one of all residuals. That is just more old-style puff up their chest Russian propaganda (about what they wish they could do).
So why argue over the semantics?
I also do not find the need (nor believe for even one second) that the Russians have the where-with-all to help completely remove such a WMD program. - They can hardly build an effective one let alone completely dismantle and remove one of all residuals.
So what were the Russians doing there? And I find your assumptions dangerous. You brush off direct testimony and evidence based on what you think is possible or not. Thats your opinion, fine - but its like the CIA types who discounted warnings of 9-11 b/c the thought of airplanes being used as weapons was "foolish" and "not possible"
Having an active and producing WMD program is very different from having actual WMDs!! (that is not semantics at all) - Again, you keep conviently glossing over that when discussing the WMD equation prior to the war. When it was discussed it was done in the terms of thier "being an active and producing WMD program within Iraq" - That is the reality.
Try and be more up front and honest and less spinning. Take the lead from our great CIC. GWB has stood up like and man (as has Rumsfeld) and said, "there wasn't the WMD program we expected to find" (plain and simple. That is called being an adult. Being a man).
And I find your assumptions dangerous. You brush off direct testimony and evidence based on what you think is possible or not. Thats your opinion, fine - but its like the CIA types who discounted warnings of 9-11 b/c the thought of airplanes being used as weapons was "foolish" and "not possible"
Foolishness! - It is not my opinion! - It is the reality of what we have found in Iraq. After conducting over 16 months worth of very complex hex operations looking for these "very WMDs"! - Often at great risk for of American soldiers. - We have found no residuals to an active WMD program.
It is YOU that is basing your assumptions off of opinion. And the opinions of silly can't do d*ck ex-KGB officials to boot! - The Russians couldn't remove a WMD program if their lives depended on it within their own Country. Let alone that of Iraq.
And why 9-11 happened wasn't because we didn't take the threat of aircraft seriously. It was because we didn't take the threat of terrorism seriously enough! - We should have been hunting and killing these types since the late 70's and we hadn't been! (that goes for Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr and especially Clinton - Considering the attacks that happened on his watch). - Reagan did the best of the lot, but he too even didn't unleash our shooters like he should have.
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