I'll conclude on the "sales job" in a moment. But what we were shown and told was that the programs were active, producing and stockpiling in the time between Jan 2003 and the invasion. Powell showed the UN photos and the world photos of active facilities. We told Blix that he was looking in the wrong places for the activities and the stockpiles (again between JAn 2003 and invasion) that we knew where it was taking place now. It's clear we didn't.
As for the sales job, that's what many of the (we've been asked not to use the term by Sabertooth, but this time it's appropriate) Bush bots. They claim that the Bush team needed to sell the American people and that it was necessary to use strecth evidence to make the point, to rally the populace. I'm only using the words of the Presidents defenders on this forum. I trust you are sophisticated enough, as you appear to be, to do a search to threads I've had this conversation with those folks and see for yourself.
It frankly pains me to see such action. I believe the President is a good president. I also believe that he sometimes has warts too. They spin the warts.
I wonder where people like this woman were in the lead up to the war.
I do most of my posting translating German media reports of current issues. I can say unequivocally that Kraatz-Wadbeck was never mentioned during the frantic (my opinion) attempt to stonewall the US invasion.
When I read her interviews, as she describes the Iraqis' trickery, I thought the ploys the Iraqis used to thwart investigations were insulting.
The UN, and Hans Blix, had to have been well aware of what people like Kraatz-Wadbeck were saying. In the US, the media was more likely to use Scott Ritter as a source of information, while people like Kraatz-Wadbeck were nowhere to be seen. (She, BTW, flat out said, when asked about Ritter's allegations, that she would have to 'contradict him' (Ich muss ihm widersprechen).
If I may paraphrase Kraatz-Wadbeck: The Iraqis had at one time the largest offensive bio-weapons arsenal of any country, ever (not defensive, offensive). There was no way to determine that they still didn't have them. Bio-weapons production can be hidden very easily within dual-use facilities, or in such sham operations as a chicken-feed factory in the middle of the desert which was fortified to the extent of a military base, or in a vaccination laboratory in which the employees couldn't correctly answer any questions the inspectors asked about vaccinations.
With the materials Kraatz-Wadbeck accuses the Iraqis of having had and tested, with the ability to produce these in current facilities, and with delivery systems consisting of indoctrinated teenagers, I don't think I could take any chances in a world where waiting until you're attacked before you are allowed to take any action could just be too late.
Kraatz-Wadbeck was saying there was a clear and present danger regarding bio-weapons, AFAIC. I don't think you need flashing neon signs pointing to specific locations, unless, I guess, your job is to convince the UN.
Reviewing the situation logically, if it were my family, based on what Kraatz-Waldbeck was saying, I'd act as if the danger was clear and present. I would like to think the people charged with protecting us feel the same way.
Iraq or the UN didn't show me anything to counter what this lady was saying.
That's my take, anyway. I really do appreciate the chance to have a dialogue about this issue.
Thanks.
longjack