Saddam's Aides: Singing 'Like a Canary'(Newsweak)

msnbc - newsweek ^ | June 13 2005 | -Mark Hosenball

[Deetes]

June 13 issue - Some of Saddam Hussein's most notorious former lieutenants have been dishing dirt. Senate investigators looking into prewar U.N. Oil-for-Food deals have named Saddam's former personal secretary and security chief, Abid Hamid Mahmoud al-Tikriti, former vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan and former foreign minister Tariq Aziz as key witnesses who have provided inside info about Saddam's regime.

Senate staffers traveled to Baghdad earlier this year to interview Iraqi officials, and their reports are among the first official accounts of what captured Iraqi leaders are saying. "In interview after interview, the officials were generally forthcoming and quite proud—even boastful—of their creativity in undermining U.N. sanctions," says Sen. Norm Coleman, who leads one of several congressional probes into Saddam-era oil deals. According to Senate documents, Ramadan is one of the most talkative captives, supplying pithy quotes about how Saddam allegedly manipulated the prewar oil program to buy support from influential foreigners. Senate investigators quote Ramadan saying that Saddam's regime gave foreigners oil allocations—which could be cashed in for lucrative brokerage fees—as "compensation for support." Al-Tikriti told investigators the former Iraqi leader and his aides "were all extremists" on the issue of oil sales to Israel. If they found an Iraqi oil buyer was selling to Israel, they would "not allow it," al-Tikriti said

[SevenMinusOne]

Ooooh Nooooo! We can't do that .. we might offend Putin.

Actually, right after Condi became Secy - she traveled to Russia and had a "private" meeting with Putin. Since she is fluent in Russian, I'm sure she informed Putin we were going to expose that the satellite videos showed Russian trucks moving in and out of Syria and Iraq just prior to the war. Right after Condi got home it was revealed by Powell I think.

You guys are chasing ghosts here (WMD's) - First off anyone that knows me on here knows I am 100% in support of our GWOT and am 100% in support of OIF (which is part of the GWOT).

However, the fact remains it does not appear that Saddam had any "active" WMD program up and running in Iraq (from the late 90's up until 2003) - We thought he did, but it turns out it was all a bluff (for the most part).

However, the World is safer because he was removed. Because terrorists have one less Country to operate within and one less State sponsor of terrorism to help fund them -

As for Satellite photos showing trucks moving equipment out of Iraq toward Syria.....this means very little. Of course lots of valuable manufacturing equipment along with all other sorts of non-wmd related equipment was going to be moving out of Iraq prior to war that ALL knew was coming!

So could all those trucks have been moving WMD's....yep....but they also very likely could have been moving all sorts of other items that have nothing to do with a active WMD program but were just as valuable....money wise!

Additionally we have conducted all sorts of complex hex opperations throughout Iraq looking for any residuals to a active WMD program.....We have found none! - That is the bottom-line. And any active WMD program would have residuals left over. It is simply impossible not to have residuals - Furthermore we have interviewed thousands of "in the know" Iraqi's who have confirmed there was no active WMD program. These guys have a complete "get out of jail free card" by simply admitting to any WMD program.....Yet, none have, because they didn't have one up and running.

However, this was only part of the equation on why we had to act against Saddam (and the MSM lie about this fact). It was only 1 of 17 reasons given for our need to remove Saddam!! (only 1 of 17) - Additionally, on Sept 11th al Qeade did not have any WMD's.....but would anyone seriously deny that they were a threat!! (of course not, they most certainly were a threat.....just as Saddam was).

[CyberAnt]

"However, this was only part of the equation on why we had to act against Saddam (and the MSM lie about this fact)."


I totally agree .. but there is satellite video of huge trucks moving back and forth from Syria and Iraq - I've seen the videos. What do you think was in them - if it wasn't connected to WMD ..??

And .. just to clarify .. I - personally - consider WMD to mean anything that can hurt a lot of people at one time - which a bullet from a gun cannot do - unless it's a machine gun.

[jonrick46]

My theory was that it was a coordinated plan between the U.S. and the Soviets. If anything, Bush and Putin discussed how well the mission went to detoxify Iraq before the escaping IraqRATs rat holed the really nasty stuff away to be used later as payback for taking them out of power.

I must remind everybody that this is only theory. However, if the Soviets underhandedly spirited the WMDs away, they would be paying big. That has not happened. In fact, Putin and Bush have been hugging.

[SevenMinusOne]

I totally agree .. but there is satellite video of huge trucks moving back and forth from Syria and Iraq - I've seen the videos. What do you think was in them - if it wasn't connected to WMD ..??

And .. just to clarify .. I - personally - consider WMD to mean anything that can hurt a lot of people at one time - which a bullet from a gun cannot do - unless it's a machine gun.

I would say for staters what you or I "consider" WMD's is a mute point - Everyone who is willing to be intellectually honest knows what "WMDs" meant in terms of what we (and the GWB Administration) were expecting to find in Iraq. - That being bio & chemical related weapons.

As for what could have been leaving Iraq. Everything from tooling machines (which are very expensive) to art work, to high-Iraqi officials personal belongings, etc, etc, ect.

And I suspect quite a bit of it was conventional weapons related as well - Equipments, ammo, guns, etc.

Additionally what is never pointed out enough - Is that Saddam certainly had all the tools to begin a WMD program on short notice. He simply didn't have one up and running (and producing) WMD's like we suspected he had (but the MSM ignore this fact all the time!).

[CyberAnt]

Well .. I don't necessarily accept your "theory" .. while I suppose anything is possible.

The reason I'm hesitant is because Russia was barely on speaking terms with the USA over the run up to the war. I just find it difficult to believe Russia was acting all bad in public and making secret deals with us behind the scenes (because that's what you're saying happened - right?).

And .. when it was made public that Russia had taken the stuff into Syria - Russia didn't say a thing. I find it hard to believe that Russia would just stand there and take that - IF that was false information .. or if the USA was in league with Russia to do the dirty work.

Hmmmm? Lots to think about.

[CyberAnt]

"... Saddam certainly had all the tools to begin a WMD program on short notice. He simply didn't have one up and running ..."


And .. I believe that's basically what David Kay and the most recent guy have both said.

So .. could that mean Saddam was just waiting for the sanctions to be lifted in order to begin the WMD processing again ..?? It seems to point that direction.

[jonrick46]

I think it is by stealth that many such actions take place. My theory is that the conventional thinking can be used to throw people off the game plan. The Soviets may see the U.S. owing them things that we are unable to deliver at this time. Let's hope that Condi Rice got things between the U.S. and the Soviets on track. The hugs were a good start.

[CyberAnt]

And .. what "things" would the USA "owe" to Russia ..??

[SevenMinusOne]

So .. could that mean Saddam was just waiting for the sanctions to be lifted in order to begin the WMD processing again ..?? It seems to point that direction.

Without a doubt this was the case - And anyone who is willing to be intellectually honest would have to admit it (that is why Dem's and the MSM don't!...because the refuse to be intellectually honest).

The situation with regard to Saddam's WMD's - Is that we thought that he not only had all the capabilities to produce WMD's....we thought he *was* currently producing WMD's - This does not appear to be the case.

But in the grand scheme of things it is relatively a mute point - (other than the fact that our CIA didn't have a clue - but what is new there).

[SevenMinusOne]

The reason I'm hesitant is because Russia was barely on speaking terms with the USA over the run up to the war. I just find it difficult to believe Russia was acting all bad in public and making secret deals with us behind the scenes (because that's what you're saying happened - right?).

Disregarding the WMD equation - this is exactly what happened between Putin (Russia) and us (United States). Putin was very supportive of OIF (behind the scenes) - That is simply a matter of fact - Russia (Putin) could have cause much more turmoil if they had so desired.

[CyberAnt]

Speaking of CIA not having a clue - I'm reading Col Hunt's book, "They Just Don't Get It". Stunning book!

In Chapter 2 he shows how Jimmy Carter dismantled and literally gutted the CIA of our "spies" - thereby allowing us to fly totally blind. The Col contends we still have not recovered from that disastrous action; and with all the other actions by the Clinton admin - it's no wonder we never saw 9/11 coming or that we had no good intel re Iraq.

[jonrick46]

I think the largest problem is Russia's technology sales to Iran for the building of a nuclear reactor. Such sales have been an economic boost to the Russian economy. The Russians think we may be jumping the gun on our charges that Iran is building nuclear weapons. The IAEA Board of Governors is due to conduct a two-day meeting at its headquarters in Vienna starting 16 June and IAEA chief Mohamed El-Baradei is expected to issue a formal report at that meeting about Iran's nuclear activities. Russia wants the U.S. to wait for that report before the U.S. exasperates the situation with false charges. In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said Russia's position is that only the IAEA, as a specially mandated international body, can judge Tehran's observation of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Condolezza Rice believes differently, saying, "We're discussing with the Russians and have been discussing for some time, the proliferation threat that we believe Iran poses. We believe that the recent findings of the IAEA on their visit to Iran will demonstrate that there is indeed a problem that needs to be dealt with in Iran."

It is my theory that the Soviets do know about Iran's development of nuclear weapons. In fact they may have intimate knowledge by providing the nuclear experts. It is to the benefit of the Soviets to play the Iranians for all the money they can get and they don't want the U.S. to stop the gravy train just yet.

I am sure that the Soviets will turn the tables on Iran when the time is right. I am hoping that Iran will have spent all that money and all they will have is empty rods.
If that happens I might want to hug a few Russians myself!