Posted on 01/17/2003 7:18:50 AM PST by latrans
Bush, inspite of my desire to get the US out of the UN, HAS been enforcing UN resolutions, something Clinton never did. The inspectors are there.
So long as inspections go forward, there is no justification for an attack. If inspections fail to discover chemical/bio weapons of mass destruction or evidence of their manufacture the administration will be forced to show their hand. I hope for Bush's sake he hasn't been bluffing.
I'm sure it had nothing to do with the $450K "grant" he received from one of Saddam's straw men. Having said that, he hardly exudes the protrait of sanity and certainly betrays his background of a Marine officer. He's irrelevant, and it seems to really be a sticking point for him, leading to the types of outbrsts and venemous rhetoric he has become known for. Let me say it again; He's irrelevant.
Whoa! Hang on a minute... What did I say to you that would make you threaten me?
My point is that I don't care what channel Ritter is on... that he doesn't answer the questions. Not really... He just gets belligerent.
This is the question he has to answer. In 1998 he said that Iraq was a threat because it had weapons of mass destruction. In 2003, he says that Saddam does not have them and is a paper tiger. When pressed how he knows that, he refuses to answer. He will tell us that he hasn't talked to anyone in Intgelligence, nor on the ground in Iraq. He says that he hasn't seen any reports, maps, etc.
Then how does he know?
This is when he gets all red in the face, he starts yelling about the fact that somehow his integrity is impugned...
At least this "Bushbot" consistently does her homework...
Maybe you should read the following lawsuit on Find Law
Ashton, et al. v. al Qaeda, et al.: Complaint (PDF) Lawsuit claiming a 9/11 link between Iraq and al Qaeda. Sept. 3, 2002
The file is in slow loading .pdf format, but it is an interesting read. Some excerpts:
39. Upon information and belief, there have been numerous meetings between IRAQI Intelligence agents and high-ranking AL QAEDA terrorists to plan terror attacks. Once such meeting occurred in 1992, when ZAWAHIRI (EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD leader and AL QAEDA officer) met with IRAQI INTELLIGENCE agents in Baghdad, IRAQ over several days. An IRAQI serving with the TALIBAN who fled Afghanistan in the fall of 2001, was captured in Kurdistan and has corroborated this meeting and confirmed that IRAQI contacts with AL QAEDA began in 1992.
During the early 1990s, Sudan’s Sheikh Hassan al-Tourabi of the Islamic National Front arranged meetings between BIN-LADEN and IRAQI INTELLIGENCE officials. BIN LADEN met with FARUQ AL-HIJAZI, an IRAQI INTELLIGENCE agent in the Sudan who would later head IRAQI INTELLIGENCE for SADDAM HUSSEIN. BIN LADEN again met with IRAQI INTELLIGENCE officers in 1994 and 1995 in the Sudan. At these meetings, BIN-LADEN and IRAQI INTELLIGENCE secret service director FARUQ AL-HIJAZI agreed to work together on terrorist projects directed against the U.S.
55. From 1996 until 2001, BIN LADEN with the financial and logistical support of OMAR and others in the TALIBAN and IRAQ and IRAQI INTELLIGENCE, created, supplied and operated at least five training camps in order to create an “Islamic Foreign Legion” capable of attacking their enemies throughout the world. These camps trained men from 15 nations in guerrilla warfare, terrorist activities, rocket warfare, demolition and bombing, including the use of mines, grenades, TNT, nitroglycerine and plastic explosives. Classes were also given in “how to kill a policeman” and “traps, murder and terrorist moves.”
57. In February 1997, BIN LADEN publicly expressed his support for IRAQ in its conflict with the United States stating:
“The hearts of the Muslims are filled with hatred towards the United States of America and the American president for American conduct towards IRAQ.”59. IRAQ upon information and belief, agreed to supply arms to AL QAEDA and provide AL QAEDA with access to and training in the use of chemical and biological weapons and agreed to instruct AL QAEDA terror trainers at its Salman Pak camp in Baghdad that contained a Boeing 707 used to practice hijacking. IRAQ also agreed to supply AL QAEDA terrorists with new identities and passports from Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.
60. AL QAEDA agreed to provide protection from political opponents to IRAQ and SADDAM HUSSEIN, and to commit assassinations and other acts of violence to create instability in regions of IRAQ, particularly Kurdistan, to assist the regime of SADDAM HUSSEIN. AL QAEDA further agreed to provide trained terrorists, assassins and martyrs to carry out terror attacks in concert with IRAQ against their common enemies, including the United States.
64. Between April 25 and May 1, 1998, two of BIN LADEN’s senior military commanders, MUHAMMAD ABU-ISLAM and ABDULLAH QASSIM, visited Baghdad for discussions with SADDAM HUSSEIN’s son -- QUSAY HUSSEIN -- the “czar” of IRAQI INTELLIGENCE.
65. QUSAY HUSSEIN’s participation in those meetings highlights the importance of the talks in both symbolic and practical terms. Upon information and belief, as a direct result of these meetings, IRAQ again made commitments to provide training, intelligence, clandestine Saudi border crossings, financial support and weapons and explosives to AL QAEDA.
66. IRAQI INTELLIGENCE officials met with BIN LADEN in Afghanistan several more times. A second group of BIN LADEN and AL QAEDA operatives from Saudi Arabia were then trained by IRAQI INTELLIGENCE in IRAQ to smuggle weapons and explosives into Saudi Arabia and other countries, which they later accomplished in an effort to carry out future terrorist acts of violence. A third group of BIN LADEN and AL QAEDA operatives received a month of sophisticated guerrilla operations training from IRAQI INTELLIGENCE officials later in the Summer of 1998.
67. Despite philosophical and religious differences with SADDAM HUSSEIN, BIN LADEN continually sought to strengthen and reinforce the support he and AL QAEDA received from IRAQ. In mid-July 1998, BIN LADEN sent Dr. AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI, the Egyptian co-founder of AL QAEDA, to IRAQ to meet with senior Iraqi officials, including Iraqi vice president TAHA YASSIN RAMADAN. Upon information and belief, the purpose of this meeting was to discuss and plan a joint strategy for a terrorist campaign against the United States.
69. During the July 1998 visit ZAWAHIRI toured an IRAQI military base and nuclear and chemical weapons facility near al-Fallujah in IRAQ and upon information and belief, observed training by IRAQI INTELLIGENCE officials of AL QAEDA operatives at the al-Nasiriyah military and chemical weapons facility in IRAQ.
79. Following the December 1998 air strikes on IRAQ, SADDAM HUSSEIN dispatched FARUQ AL-HIJAZI to Kandahar, Afghanistan in order to meet with BIN LADEN and plot their revenge.
81. To demonstrate IRAQ’s commitment to BIN LADEN and AL QAEDA, HIJAZI presented BIN LADEN with a pack of blank, official Yemeni passports, supplied to IRAQI INTELLIGENCE from their Yemeni contacts. HIJAZI’s visit to Kandahar was followed by a contingent of IRAQI INTELLIGENCE officials who provided additional training and instruction to BIN LADEN and AL QAEDA operatives in Afghanistan. These Iraqi officials included members of “Unit 999,” a group of elite IRAQI INTELLIGENCE officials who provided advanced sabotage and infiltration training and instruction to AL QAEDA operatives.
82. At that meeting, upon information and belief, BIN LADEN, AL QAEDA and IRAQ agreed to join efforts in a detailed, coordinated plan for a protracted terrorist war against the United States.
84. IRAQ maintains an advanced chemical and biological weapons program and is one of only three countries in the world producing a highly developed weaponized anthrax. Some time during or after 1998, IRAQ agreed to help BIN LADEN and AL QAEDA develop a laboratory in Afghanistan designed to produce anthrax.
85. In addition to the al-Nasiriyah and Salman Pak training camps, by January 1999, BIN LADEN and AL QAEDA operatives were being trained by IRAQI INTELLIGENCE and military officers at other training camps on the outskirts of Baghdad.
86. In January 1999, IRAQ began reorganizing and mobilizing IRAQI INTELLIGENCE front operations throughout Europe in support of BIN LADEN and AL QAEDA. HAQI ISMAIL, believed to be a member of the IRAQ’S MUKHABARAT Secret Service, left IRAQ to train in an Afghanistan AL QAEDA camp. ISMAIL was believed to be a liason between IRAQ, the TALIBAN and AL QAEDA and was rewarded with a position in the TALIBAN Foreign Ministry.
103. On July 21, approximately six weeks before the September 11 th attacks, IRAQI columnist Mulhalhal reported that BIN LADEN was making plans to “demolish the Pentagon after he destroys the White House.”
104. Mulhalhal’s July 21 article further informed that BIN LADEN would strike America “on the arm that is already hurting.” Upon information and belief, this references a second IRAQI sponsored attack on the World Trade Center. This interpretation is further bolstered by another reference to New York as “[BIN LADEN] will curse the memory of Frank Sinatra everytime he hears his songs.” (e.g., “New York, New York”) identifying New York, New York as a target.
105. Mulhalhal further indicated, “The wings of a dove and the bullet are all but one and the same in the heart of a believer.” (Emphasis supplied) This appears to be a reference to the use of commercial aircraft as a weapon. The information was reported in an IRAQI newspaper who’s editor-in-chief serves as secretary to UDAY HUSSEIN’S Iraqi Syndicate of Journalists. The article expressed IRAQI admiration and support for BIN LADEN’s plans and its appearance in the newspaper would clearly have to be endorsed by SADDAM HUSSEIN himself.
106. All IRAQI news media is strictly controlled and censored by the government of SADDAM HUSSEIN and is under the direct oversight of UDAY HUSSEIN. Various members of IRAQI intelligence work at and control the content of each and every newspaper published inside IRAQ.
107. The information contained in Mulhalhal’s published statements were known prior to the events of September 11 th , and that Mulhalhal has ties to IRAQI intelligence, demonstrates foreknowledge of the planned attacks by BIN LADEN and indicates support by IRAQI co-conspirators.
110. According to U.S. and foreign intelligence officials, in the spring of 2000, IRAQI INTELLIGENCE agents met with September 11 th pilot hijackers ZAID SAMIR JARRAH and MARWAN AL-SHEHHI in Dubai, UAE in order to advance the hijacking of U.S. aircraft to commit terrorist acts. Not long after the meeting, AL-SHEHHI entered the United States on May 29 and JARRAH entered on June 27, to begin preparations for attacks.
133. Instruction documents on an artillery weapon known as the “Super Gun” were found in AL QAEDA camps when they were captured by U.S. forces in the winter of 2001-2002. IRAQ is the only state known to have purchased and assembled the super gun, a weapon so large it must be constructed in segments. It has a range of several hundred miles.
You also might want to check out this link at the Center for Defense Information
Now...please turn off Dan Blather or Donawho? or whoever the idiot is you are listening to on the television and start studying.
No silly...a paperweight! LOL!
Scott? Scott Ritter? Is that you?
I did a little research on you. Here is some recent phrases and/or comments you've made...
You're not falling in step with the jingoistic Bushbot war mongers.
You thought wrong - you are incapable of having an intelligent dialogue. You are so conflicted you are irrational. Otherwise, explain the logic behind your "clueless" statement.
Okay, Cluelessreporter.
...but I don't expect Bushbots to admit that.
And worst of all, this...
Unless you're a spineless weasle who talks tough from behind your keyboard. Good thing, too, because if you talked to me like that in person, you'd be crying like a little school girl, right now.
I only have one question about that comment...WHO THE F*UCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?? I'm a simple Texas redneck and, evidently, we take threats a bit more serious than you folks from Vail do. I don't know if you made the threat because you and carton have a history or what your reason was...And I don't particulary give a $hit what your reason was. It was wrong. It was damn foolish. It was arrogant as hell, as most of your comments are. And, by God, you owe carton an apology!!
You might not respect our opinions, you might think we're dumb as $hit, hell, sitting up in the Ivory Tower you've built for yourself in your own mind, you might even think you're better than the rest of us simple FReepers, but Free Republic welcomes dissenting opinions and everyone who takes the time out of their lives to post ANYTHING should be respected and not called names. And, for damn sure, they shouldn't be threatened.
I think Charles Haddon Spurgeon probably had people like you in mind when he wrote...
None are more unjust in their judgments of others, than those who have a high opinion of themselves.
Now, if you want to direct a threat my way, feel free. But be warned...there's many ways to counter the hubris anonymity brings.
Ooops. Sorry about that. I was actually responding to someone in an earlier post who used the "F" word. I can see why you thought it was directed at you and that is my mistake. Sorry.
For the most part, I agree with what you've written.
If I may direct you to the apology that I made to Carton in a post preceding this one.
While replying to Carton and attempting to agree with the gist of his reasonable argument, I included in parenthesis a reference to another mental giant who directed the "F" word at me, in a previous prior post, of the same thread. I did it this way because I don't like to give people the satisfaction of a direct response when they resort to such inane behavior. Even though you, too, resorted to similar behavior in your post to me, I acknowledge that it probably wouldn't have happened if I had been more clear in my post to Carton.
As for your rooting around my home page and digging up classic phrases from my previous posts - you really have to read them as though they are part of a conversation. I think anyone who is fair will recognize that the comments that you cut & pasted were not my first response. In context, I stand by my comments, even if they appear to be dripping of ego.
Again, I just want to make sure you people who read my post to Carton and thought I was talking to him to know that I'm sorry. It was my mistake due to careless phrasing in my post. I was responding to someone incapable of rational debate who directed the "F" word at me. I'll be more careful in the future.
Now, lets go nuke the crapola out of Iraq and forget about these silly weapons inspections.
You say I misconstrued and/or misunderstood some of your posts. Your apology shows a person with class, so I'll take your word for it. I apologize.
Your posts to carton on this one thread just hit me wrong and I couldn't shake it. That's why I replied in the manner I did.
I come to Free Republic to learn about this crazy world around us. Some come to take their own shortcomings out on others, and that's unfair. I thought you were one of those and I apologize for that assumption.
One tiny disagreement though...I didn't have as much of a problem with your "classic phrases" as I did with the name-calling. Bushbots and clueless is just something I'd never call another FReeper, even if I thought they were. Just because someone fires the first salvo doesn't mean the war has to escalate. But that's just me.
And you're right. Enough energy has been wasted on this.
I accept Nephi's explanation, apology, and final resolution.
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