John A. Shaw, Undersecretary of Defense for International Technology Security, who was responsible for tracking Saddam's weapons before and after the 2003 invasion, supports Gen. Sada's Syrian-transfer story. Lt. Gen. James Clapper (Ret.), head of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, has said satellite imagery showed a heavy flow of traffic from Iraq into Syria just before the American invasion. In an interview with the London Telegraph in January 2004, David Kay, former head of the Iraq Survey Group (ISG), said he uncovered evidence that unspecified materials had been moved to Syria shortly before Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Regarding possible "dereliction of duty" by our men in uniform, I have the highest respect for our armed forces. I don't know if, prior to our actual '03 invasion, we had boots on the ground all along the Iraq-Syria border to interdict every truck passing between the two countries. Saddam had made deception an art form; his decade of success circumventing sanctions through misuse of the Oil-for-Food program is evidence of that.
I have no independent cooroboration that Gen. Sada did not join the Baath Party - only his statements, and the fact that he is one of the few high-ranking members of the former regime to enjoy positions of trust and responsibility in the new government. Regarding any possible "good qualities" of Saddam, it is Gen. Sada's contention that Saddam did not heavily discriminate against Christians in the Baghdad area.
Yes, I knew Tariq Aziz was a Christian. I've never met him, but his actions don't seem to speak well of his character.
John A. Shaw, EX - Undersecretary of Defense for International Technology Security - is he still under investigation for trying to steer contracts to his pals?