Former UN weapons inspector rails against war in Iraq, warns of terrorism (Scott Ritter's Back!)

Associated Press ^ | February 5, 2003 | Hans Greimel

[Timesink]

Former UN weapons inspector rails against war in Iraq, warns of terrorism

By HANS GREIMEL, Associated Press Writer

TOKYO - Former U.N. chief weapons inspector Scott Ritter blasted the U.S. case against Iraq on Wednesday as based on "circumstantial evidence" and warned that invading the country would be a "long and horrific" invitation to terrorism.

The remarks came just hours before U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) was set to present the U.N. Security Council a detailed argument on the disarmament of Iraq.

Ritter, a former Gulf War (news - web sites) veteran who lead U.N. weapons inspections in Iraq from 1991 to 1998, said the United States was giving up on inspections too soon and that Powell could present only "circumstantial evidence" that they haven't worked.

"The purpose of Colin Powell's presentation ... is to destroy international trust and confidence in weapons inspections, and that's a darn shame," said Ritter, on a two-stop international campaign to condemn the push toward war in Iraq.

"Inspections can work if given a chance," he said.

Current chief weapons inspector Hans Blix indicated Tuesday that time and patience was running out, warning Baghdad that it is "five minutes to midnight."

According to Ritter, however, up to 95 percent of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction had been confirmed destroyed by the end of his tenure and the country has had no industrial base to rearm since — a claim about which many are skeptical.

Ritter argued that U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) wants to undercut the inspections process because his true aim is not the disarmament of Iraq but the removal of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), a goal best achieved through military muscle.

Drawing on his years experience in the U.S. Marines and at the helm of 52 U.N. weapons inspections of Iraq, Ritter called Iraq a "defanged tiger."

But he warned that a U.S. invasion would be potentially devastating and likely trigger a global backlash of terrorist attacks against U.S. targets.

"It's going to be long and horrific," Ritter said. "I think an American invasion of Iraq is the best recruiting poster that Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) and al-Qaida will ever have."

He predicted that a U.S. air bombardment of Iraq would begin by the end of February and that U.S. ground troops could be marching across the border in early March. He said the country could be occupied as early as June. But he said getting there could entail thousands of U.S. casualties and possibly hundreds of thousands on the Iraqi side.

Ritter also dismissed arguments that the Iraqi people would welcome U.S. forces as liberators from an evil tyrant. He compared a U.S. invasion and occupation to Nazi Germany's 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union, a homeland fiercely defended by its citizens despite their fear and loathing of then-Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

"When you take a look at the average Iraqi villager, he reaches down in his village and pulls up a handful of dust," Ritter said. "That dust contains his grandfather, his great-grandfather, the history of Iraq. They will fight and die for that."

Ritter leaves Japan on Friday for a seminar in the United Arab Emirates.

[Timesink]

You get one guess what's missing from this article.

[TLBSHOW]

the pervert alert?

[Timesink]

Actually, there are TWO things missing from this article. The second thing missing is any mention of where he made these remarks (no, the dateline doesn't count; I mean what forum). Does Ritter now automatically get press simply by faxing in a handwritten rant to the AP?

[TLBSHOW]

it looks like the feds will have to charge him....

[Timesink]

the pervert alert?

DING!

[TLBSHOW]

here

http://www.fccj.or.jp/

[Timesink]

Ah, thank you.

[TLBSHOW]

Professional Luncheon: Scott Ritter, Former Weapons Inspector in Iraq
Scott Ritter, Former Chief U.N. Weapons Inspector in Iraq
February 05, 2003 12:00 PAC
posted by Wayne Hunter
12:00-13:30
(The speech and Q & A will be in English)

As a chief weapons inspector for the United Nations Special Commission in Iraq in the early nineties, Scott Ritter was labeled a hero by some, a maverick by others, and a spy by the Iraqi government. In charge of searching out weapons of mass destruction within Iraq, Ritter was on the front lines of the ongoing battle against arms proliferation. His experience in enemy territory served as the basis for his book "Endgame," which explored the shortcomings of American foreign policy in the Persian Gulf region and alternative approaches to handling the Iraqi crisis.

Ritter, now viewed as an anti-war activist, will visit Japan to speak about his views on a possible U.S.-led military attack on Iraq. The ballistic missile technology expert who has visited Iraq more than 50 times on inspection missions, will hold sessions with various Japanese media. He will deliver a first-hand account of the effect of the imposed sanctions on the Iraqi people. His impassioned discussion explores the area where justice meets compassion and covers the controversial topic of weapons of mass destruction.

Ritter has complained, in the past week, that his comments on Iraq have been drowned out by media reports about his 2001 arrest stemming from an Internet sting.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear from this high-profile figure on one of today's most critical and controversial issues.

Help us plan proper seating and food preparation by reserving in advance, on-line or at the Front Desk. The charge is 3,150 yen for Associates and guests and 2,100 yen for FCCJ Working Press Members for a "set meal" and 1,700 yen for Associates and guests and 1,200 yen for FCCJ Working Press Members for a "sandwich plate," tax included. The moderator's introduction is scheduled to begin at 12:20. Reservations canceled less than 24 hours in advance will be charged in full.

Professional Activities Committee



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[TLBSHOW]

ping

[Tax Government]

Why waste precious black pixels on this jerk?

[Russell Scott]

What if you had a big mouth and nobody listened?

[MeekOneGOP]

bttt for later read...

[Timesink]

The Reuters story also avoids the elephant in the living room, and notes that Ritter told the crowd that North Korea is going to nuke Japan, purely because we went to war with Iraq:

Ex-U.N. Inspector Sees Attack on Iraq This Month

TOKYO (Reuters) - A former U.N. weapons inspector and outspoken critic of U.S. policy on Iraq said Wednesday he expected war to break out by the end of February and that Pyongyang would likely seize the opportunity to attack Japan and South Korea (news - web sites).

Scott Ritter, a former U.S. Marine who spent seven years as a weapons inspector in Iraq in the 1990s, told journalists in Tokyo that a narrow, U.S.-led coalition would likely launch an attack on Iraq after failing to persuade the United Nations (news - web sites) of the need for military action.

"I see a massive aerial bombardment beginning by the end of February," he said. "I see ground troops crossing into Iraq in significant numbers in early March, and I don't see this war finishing any time soon."

Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) is due to speak before the U.N. Security Council at 10:30 a.m. EST in an attempt to persuade the world that Iraq is concealing weapons of mass destruction.

Russia, China and France -- which have powers of veto -- are uncertain about a war that might spark more instability in the Middle East.

An attack on Iraq might also alarm the isolated state of North Korea (news - web sites) into a pre-emptive strike on U.S. troops and their allies in Asia, Ritter said.

"North Korea, having seen the United States eliminate Iraq in violation of international law, is not going to simply sit back and wait for the Americans to come," he said.

"They won't be satisfied till Tokyo is reduced to a slab of radioactive waste."

The United States reported last autumn that Pyongyang had admitted to possessing weapons of mass destruction. North Korea withdrew from a nuclear non-proliferation treaty last month and ordered U.N. atomic energy inspectors out of the country.

U.S. bombers, fighter jets and warships have been put on alert for possible deployment to the western Pacific to deter any aggression by North Korea in the event of a war in Iraq.

[Lion's Cub]

What's he doing in Japan? Spying for N. Korea?

Of course that's what he is doing. He wants to know if that missing plutonium means Japan has gone nuclear.

[chiefqc]

"Hey scottie, go have a burger".

[jmaroneps37]

You see gang, you can't keep a good pervert down.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Was Ritter speaking at a Tokyo Burger King?

Were his pants on?

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the post and the update. Sorry for the delay. I was out all afternoon/evening.

Scott Ritter is a traitor, pervert and a fool, imho...

ALBANY - Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter was secretly prosecuted in Albany County in 2001 after he was snared in an Internet sex sting operation, law enforcement sources told the Daily News .

< snip >

He was arrested by Colonie Police in June 2001 on a misdemeanor charge after he allegedly had a sexual discussion on the Internet with an undercover investigator he thought was an underage girl, law enforcement sources disclosed on condition of anonymity.

---

Scott Ritter:
Show me tha money !

Scott Ritter was paid for his interest in a movie - $400,000. Some discussion on this article here on FR...

Also this FR article...

Scott Ritter in Pro-Iraq Movie Deal

[putupon]

He's hoping like hell we don't find that file full of pictures Saddam has of him with the Iraqi political prisoners' underage daughters. He's received the message to get out and start talking regardless of his legal troubles here, or the pics will be Fed Exed overnight to the National Enquirer. Who paid for the pedophile's ticket to Tokyo anyway?

[TLBSHOW]

The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan