Posted on 05/25/2004 12:01:18 PM PDT by SJackson
Beware of pacifists in uniform.
Finally, despite damage inflicted by Operation DESERT FOX strikes, Iraq has not forgone its missile and WMD programs and continues to resist the reintroduction of United Nations arms inspectors.While Iraq's WMD capabilities were degraded under UN supervision and set back by Coalition strikes, some capabilities remain and others could quickly be regenerated. Despite claims that WMD efforts have ceased, Iraq probably is continuing clandestine nuclear research, retains stocks of chemical and biological munitions, and is concealing extended-range SCUD missiles, possibly equipped with CBW payloads. Even if Baghdad reversed its course and surrendered all WMD capabilities, it retains the scientific, technical, and industrial infrastructure to replace agents and munitions within weeks or months.
A special concern is the absence of a UN inspection and monitoring presence, which until December 1998 had been paramount to preventing large-scale resumption of prohibited weapons programs.A new disarmament regime must be reintroduced into Iraq as soon as possible and allowed to carry out the mandates dictated by the post-Gulf War UN resolutions. The Iraqi regime's high regard for WMD and long-range missiles is our best indicator that a peaceful regime under Saddam Hussein is unlikely.Clearly, the proliferation of advanced weapons and associated technology is reaching alarming proportions in the Central Region and impacting both our regional relationships and the execution of our mission.
I remain deeply concerned that extremists may turn to WMD in an effort to make more sensational political statements and overcome improved U.S. defenses against conventional attack. There is evidence that some elements in our region are exploring rudimentary chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Detecting plans for a specific WMD attack is extremely difficult, making it likely such an event would occur without warning.
Iraq remains the most significant near-term threat to U.S. interests in the Arabian Gulf region. This is primarily due to its large conventional military force, pursuit of WMD, oppressive treatment of Iraqi citizens, refusal to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR), persistent threats to enforcement of the No Fly Zones (NFZ), and continued efforts to violate UN Security Council sanctions through oil smuggling. On December 17, 1999, the United Nations Security Council passed United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1284. This resolution authorizes the replacement of the United Nations Special Commission on Monitoring with the United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC).
Iraq's conventional military force continues to pose a threat to our regional partners who do not individually possess the capability to deter or stop an Iraqi invasion without U.S. assistance. Saddam's air and air defense forces have repeatedly attempted to challenge the Coalition's air patrols in the Northern and Southern NFZ during the past year. Iraqi conventional air defense forces have been degraded as a result of Coalition responses to Iraqi attacks, in addition to the slow decline resulting from UN sanctions. Despite setbacks and problems, Iraq persists in its deliberate attempts to shoot down Coalition aircraft. Because of these attempts, we must continue to give our pilots the ability to respond effectively against these unprovoked attacks. Current Rules of Engagement are fully adequate to enable them to do that.
Iraq continues a pattern of selective compliance with UN sanctions. Past behavior indicates that Saddam Hussein abides by international obligations only when he perceives them to be in his personal best interest. I believe that Iraq is likely to remain a significant threat to the region for the foreseeable future.
Regardless of what he said or not said, what he did was place an Army of the border, was in a hurry to send them in and did. To me that spells immiment threat to us. I hate to think we went in there and lost lives to become an arm of the UN.
Exactly. Someone should remind Zinni that before 9/11 there was no immenent threat from the Taliban or Afghanistan, either. Yet, in hindsight, we have 9/11 Commission members actually scolding the administration for not preemptively attacking Afghanistan.
Quote: "Zinni called the invasion of Iraq "a big mistake on our part," describing it as "an unneeded bag of worms. It was elective surgery that didn't need to be done." He predicted that it was "going to be trouble for many years to come."
Sorry...but Saddam and Iraq were going to be "trouble for many years to come" whether we invaded Iraq or not. In fact, I would argue that we had to take out Saddam now...instead of allowing him to become an even greater threat, when he could be in a stronger position to blackmail or threaten America.
Heck, just the fact that we scattered much of AQ and the Taliban in Afghanistan meant that many of these remnants would end up in Iraq, regardless. Saddam already had the propencity for harboring "wanted" terrorists long before 9/11.
From Abu Nidal, who called Baghdad home since 1999 to Abu Abbas, who made Baghdad his home since 1994, Saddam was breaking the Gulf War treaty by even allowing these people to reside in his country. Even a month prior to the 9/11 attacks, Ansar Al Islam was building its base in N. Iraq, thanks to the resources of Al-Zarqawi, who was a conduit between this group and AQ leaders in Afghanistan.
The fact that Zarqawi spent two months in Baghdad after being injured in Afghanistan shows that Saddam was sympathetic to these terrorists causes. From Abbas' PLO group that operated in Iraq to even Egyptian Islamic Jihad that came in with Zarqawi, Saddam was providing sactuary to the enemies of this country. Hell, Saddam even offered sanctuary to UBL in 1999. I'm getting sick of the deliberate ignorance of those who refuse to see this connection.
I'm half-tempted to take all my Clancy novels (I have all of them, most of them hardcover) and mail them back to him.
Speaking of which:
Asked about the military rules under which Zinni might have the authority to again re-target Iraq, he said he would only have the right to take action if Saddam Hussein's forces took some offensive action against U.S. military forces who are enforcing sanctions against Iraq through the no-fly zones in the north and south of Iraq or through the nearby maritime intercept operations.
Zinni...the same arse who, once the murderers of the Cole sailors were identified, side with Maleline Albright to NOT attack the terrorists because he didn't want to offend Muslim Pakistan.
Zinni...the same arse who is now in the process of closing a very lucrative contract with Pakistan.
Zinni is a disgrace.
I donated all of mine to charity a few weeks ago - a fortuitous move, as it turned out.
"I have spent my life in the Caribbean, in the Far East, in Africa, in the Middle East, in Southwest Asia, and in Central Asia, in Europe, Eastern Europe. And what I find our biggest flaw is, we never take time to understand the culture.
I don't recall us being criticized, following WWII, for not understanding Nazi culture. Since when is the victor in a war obliged to bow down to the vanquished?
And he seems to have forgotten that Rumsfeld was a Navy fighter pilot.
He uses the "a" word -- atrocities. And he's a Marine, for crying out loud! Has he no shame? America may not humiliate terrorists? I'd say he needs to worry less about his Arab friends and more about his American friends, but I shudder to think about who his American friends are.
(Arabs) become terrorists because they're unemployed? Where have I heard that before?
You're right. These are nothing but Democrat talking points, with a little personal gloss added.
You may have already seen this, but post #42 is Zinni in his own words, prior to the Iraq war.
Good find.
West Germany was functioning just fine after five years. In fact, by then, it had per capita the world's most productive economy. It was called the "die deutsche Wirtschaftswunder" -- "the German economic miracle."
Re: Your quotes from Zinni's testimony. Game, set, match. You've got him pinned to the wall with his own words. I wish Hannity had that testimony in his hand when Zinni was on his show. Someone ought to email this to Hannity. And why do people like us have to do this research? Why don't the mainstream media do their homework and look this stuff up and ask Zinni the tough questions they ask Bush or Cheney about things they've said in the past? Why do the biggest names in mainstream journalism suddenly lack the investigative skills of a cub reporter?
What a lot of this second-guessing proves is that Bin laden understands us perhaps better than we understand ourselves. As soon as the war hit a rough patch, as soon is it extended beyond the season of a sitcom, we started to panic. We've lost 700-800 soldiers, about a tenth of what we lost on D-Day alone. One week into the war, critics were talking quagmire. Rather than rally behind our president and the troops during tough times, everyone is grandstanding that they knew it was a mistake all along, everyone is emphasizing our mistakes to the max, everyone has forgotten who the enemy is, everyone is playing politics. We are acting like the spineless morons Bin Laden thinks we are. Bin Laden may have underestimated Bush, but he did not underestimate the Democrats - he has them pegged to a "T".
Thanks! I think we can safely assume that his motivation is political with a dose of sour grapes. Despicable.
Clearly he's trying out for a position in a Kerry administration.
Clinton Administration Squanders Iraq Liberation Money - Aug. 22, 2000
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