Posted on 03/21/2006 8:50:49 AM PST by jveritas
US intelligence officials say nearly all the documents released have been given at least a cursory reading by Arabic experts. Beth Marple, Negroponte's deputy press secretary, said amateur translators won't find any major surprises, such as proof Hussein hid stockpiles of chemical weapons.
Still, conservative bloggers, eager to bolster the case for going to war against Iraq, have long argued for release of the documents. They gained a powerful ally last month in Michigan Republican Pete Hoekstra, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. In an interview with blogger Andrew Marcus, Hoekstra called for Negroponte to release the documents online. ''Unleash the power of the Net," Hoekstra said. ''Let the blogosphere go." Kansas Republican Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, backed Hoekstra's proposal.
Within hours of the first release of documents, Shahda posted his first translation on the conservative website Free Republic. It was an Iraqi intelligence report of an interview with an Afghan informant that suggests -- but does not prove -- agents of Al Qaeda and the Taliban were active in Iraq before the Sept. 11 attacks.
According to an intelligence official who declined to be identified, Negroponte plans to release all documents that have no further intelligence value. Files that might help apprehend members of the Iraqi insurgency will remain under wraps. So will files that could violate the privacy or harm the reputations of innocent people. For instance, the Hussein regime used rape as a method of torture, and the government won't release documents containing the names of Iraqi rape victims. Nor will it release files mentioning Iraqi-Americans or other US citizens, such as journalists.
The remaining documents, the official said, will mainly provide insights into Hussein's rule. ''This stuff needs to be laid bare because it helps the democratic process in Iraq, like it did in South Africa, like it did in Germany," he said.
This is from the Boston Globe US Puts Iraqi Documents On The Web
This is a big deal! Why isn't the MSM shouting this stuff off the rooftops? It's so frustrating.
that's not a smoking gun.. that's a smoking meteorite impact crater.. and the dems standing all around it looking the other way.. lmao
PING
I don't see that the translation states there are foreign Fedayeen currently living in Iraq. It could be talking about how to train them if they ever do come to Iraq.
Second this document is about making a very intensive course within a week so it is easy and very possible to train hundreds if not thousands of these Arab terrorists to become suicide bombers in a short period of time.
Agreed.
There is no way the foreign terrorists can organize, get safe houses, establish weapons cache, know the area very well, get some local protection and support, and have done all this after we liberated Iraq. Many of them were there before the war and they were sheltered and trained by Saddam regime.
That is my understanding as well, that thousands of foreign fighters were trained at Salman Pak and two other training camps within Iraq. But I don't think the translation of this document proves that anyone was sheltered or trained. Here's how I read the translation, and how an antiwar activist will probably read it:
Recommendation on how to use the Arab Feedaeyeens (Suicide Martyrs)
This is the title of the document. It could be a contingency plan in case suicide martyrs ever come to Iraq seeking training.
1. Supervision for training and usage
Formation of a devoted commission headed by...
The commission has not yet been formed. The document recommends formation of the commission.
2. The Training Course
The commission will prepare a very intensive training course...
The training course has not yet been prepared. The document recommends preparation of the training course.
A. The Explosives
All the explosives and its attachments will be provided by the Directory of Military Engineering.
No explosives and accessories have yet been provided. The document recommends providing explosives and accessories.
B . The Cars
All the cars and motorcycles that will be used in fulfilling the duties will be provided by the Department of Armament and Equipping.
No cars and motorcycles have yet been provided. The document recommends providing cars and motorcycles.
C. The Camels
Will be provided by the Directory of General Military Intelligence.
No camels have yet been provided. The document recommends providing camels.
D. Light Weapons
The Kalashnikoff rifles and the hand grenades will be provided by the Department of Armament and Equipping.
No rifles or hand grenades have yet been provided. The document recommends providing rifles and hand grenades.
I'm as eager as anyone to point to these translated documents as evidence of the existence of WMD, and Al Qaeda's ties to Saddam Hussein, and everything else we've been saying for years but haven't been able to prove. But I don't think this document proves anything other than the fact that some unspecified person was making plans to train foreign fighters in Iraq at some time in the future.
Thanks again for your hard work in translating these documents. I'm sure there are thousands of people waiting breathlessly to see what else you can find. Free Republic truly is an amazing place.
Very good idea... there used to be email lists around this forum for just that type of undertaking. Does any one know if there are any lists floating around here anymore. The lists were very good, media and Congress.
I emailed a regional radio guy.
He'll probably air it tomorrow or the next day.
I also emailed Hugh Hewitt. He's monitoring Hayes's stuff at the Standard on his blog. He has resources to do follow up as well.
I'll start pumping Rush and Hannity tomorrow.
Thanks for your work on this stuff.
Thank you for doing this.
Thank you for posting this.
BUMP
So this is what you were busy doing when I pinged you a couple of days ago. Great work!
Sorry for not answering the ping :)
What you were doing was very important!
Saddam had no connection to terrorists because if he did then Bush didn't lie and everyone knows that Bush lied. Halliburton must have created these documents.
I began reporting this program soon after Baghdad fell, using my Marine grunt and specops sources on the ground at places like Salman Pak. I am glad to see more documentation backing up my original reports.
Gunny Bob
Host, the "Gunny Bob Show"
Newsradio 850 KOA
May I have your permission to post your translation on my show's site? With accredidation, of course.
Email: gunnybob@850koa.com
Absolutely, let us spread the truth. I really appreciate that you are helping in spreading the truth.
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