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Your absolutely right, the NYSlimes has wrote nothing more than another hit piece. The title alone should be an indicator of what their intent really was.

"Looting at Weapons Plants Was Systematic"

This is a side piece along side the article, notice the title.

"U.N. experts say at least 90 weapons sites have been looted or razed since the invasion in 2003."

Two paragraphs below makes it clear that the Times is not only making it look like we were inept in securing chemicals and parts, but that we also allowed important economic structure to be destroyed.

"Dr. Araji, whose tenure with the ministry goes back to the 1980's, is now involved in plans to use the sites as manufacturing centers in what the ministry hopes will be a new free-market economy in Iraq. He said that disappointment at losing such valuable equipment was a prime reason that the ministry was determined to speak frankly about what had happened.

"We talk straight about these matters, because it's a sad thing that this took place in Iraq," Dr. Araji said. "We need anything that could support us here."

And the final paragraph of the story is the kicker!

"During the American presidential election last fall, news of that letter ignited a political firestorm. Privately, officials of the monitoring commission and the atomic energy agency have speculated on whether the political uproar made Baghdad reluctant to disclose more details of looting."