Iraq: We have no more to declare

Independent ^ | 3/03/03 | Kim Sengupta, in Baghdad

[kattracks]

Iraq said yesterday that it had nothing more to declare to the UN on its weapons programme and warned that it might stop the destruction of its al-Samoud 2 missiles if America continued to threaten it with war.

Lieutenant-General Amer al-Saadi, the chief weapons adviser to Saddam Hussein, accused George Bush and Tony Blair of trying to engineer "a war driven by greed".

General Saadi said Baghdad might cease scrapping the missiles if it believed Washington was going to ignore the UN Security Council. "If it turns out at an early stage during this month that America is not going to behave in a legal way, why should we continue?" he said.

Iraq has destroyed 10 missiles in two days. But stopping the process will almost certainly be seen by America and Britain as a "material breach" of UN resolutions, and provide the trigger for an invasion.

The claim that Iraq has fulfilled all its UN obligations is also likely to be used by Washington and London as evidence that President Saddam is not prepared to "fully disarm".

General Saadi said: "Practically all the areas of concern to Unmovic [the UN inspection team] and the subjects of remaining disarmament questions have been addressed."

[ostephani]

Use some logic and I might listen to you. And, by the way, logic would not get you to your particular conclusion. Certainly, the UN stuff has been a mess, but not one that Bush can't overcome or barrel through. My glass is half full as usual, AND no one will make me see it as half empty.

Thanks, SO

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[L,TOWM]

You also don't have a warplan altered drastically and come up with a new one in a week. Every one keeps quoting over 200k troops available to this op; you seem to forget that the "Northern Front" is now cancelled out. So, in the south we have 3rd Armored, 82 Aiborne, 101st (both without helos yet), and a Marine Division. Add in the Corp and Army level assets, and I count 160-180k troops.

Understand that Turkey just fu**ed us in a way that the stinkin french could only imagine in their wildest wet dreams. We do not have the time now to get this done this side of hot weather. I am certain that anyone with an oz. of brains in the Pentagon is telling their superiors that to:

a) Operate without full MOPP protection suits against the anticipated Iraqi defense plan would be a recipe for military suicide, and
b) Operate in full MOPP protection with an ambient temperature greater than 70 degrees will degrade the effectiveness of our forces to the point that victory cannot be assured.

Bush knows that the only outcomes worse than waiting until the next cool season is massive casualties or defeat. We are also, IMHO, not prepared to go in now with a "coalition of the willing" and accept the international ramifications of acting without the blessing of the UN.

We chose to sleep with the UN dogs. That itching sensation that you feel is called fleas...

[L,TOWM]

See #23. So while we are invoking logic, how do see this playing out in the next two weeks, before it gets too hot to go?

[L,TOWM]

I hope I'm wrong too. And I probably am. But I don't see how we can get what we need to do the job in place before hot weather sets in.

Also, do not ignore what the international political effects would be if we go in without UN approval. This amounts to flipping off the UN after going to them 4 months ago, asking (not telling) them to "do something". Well, they have "done something". So has Turkey. In a very democratic way, both of them have told us to pi$$ up a rope.

[L,TOWM]

And see #25.

Understand FRiend, I hope I'm wrong.

I do not believe that I am. Turkey derailed this slow rolling train two days ago...

[gulfcoast6]

My, my, my. Why would I ever think they would say 'ain't got anymore'

[Grampa Dave]

[Cap Huff]

"You also don't have a warplan altered drastically and come up with a new one in a week."

That's true, but I doubt that Rumsfeld had only one warplan.
I will guess that there have been alternate plans in the making all along.

I can't disagree with your disgust at this situation, but I'm not quite so pessimistic about it. By the way, I too hope that you are wrong.

[The Great Satan]

Is that your final answer?

[The Great Satan]

 And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray ’s
In deepest consequence.

          Macbeth. Act i. Sc. 3.

[txlurker]

I love the way you think and totally agree with you!

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

What??? They are going to stop co-operating??? I'm SHOCKED.. SHOCKED I TELL YA!!!



</sarcasm

FRegards FRiend! Vets

[1Old Pro]

Who cares, we're going in.

[Enduring Freedom]

Thank you txlurker.

I'm going out on a limb here, but if you're from Texas, I'm not at all surprised.

Enjoyed a swing through Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Galveston and Houston.

Texas hospitality and positive energy is unmatched anywhere on Earth, in my opinion.

And what about those Whataburger's? Incredible!