Blix denies cover-up after second unreported find (Lie Thru Teeth Alert)

Times Online ^ | March 11, 2003 | James Bone in New York and Roland Watson in Washington

[conservativecorner]

THE chief United Nations weapons inspector denied yesterday that he was covering up finds in Iraq, even as it emerged that a second discovery had gone unreported to the UN Security Council.

The same declassified UN report that revealed that inspectors had found an undeclared 7.45-metre drone also contained new information about the discovery in December of modified aircraft fuel tanks capable of spraying germ or chemical agents.

But Hans Blix, the chief inspector, shrugged off suggestions by American and British officials that he tried to hide bad news from Security Council Foreign Ministers in his oral presentation last Friday. “Everyone tries to squeeze us to get as much mileage out of us as they can,” Dr Blix said after John Negroponte, the US Ambassador, questioned him about the drone in a closed-door session of the Security Council. “We have had a lot of work to get the cluster document together and to declassify it and it does take some time to produce these reports as well.”

Dr Blix said that Iraq should have declared the drone, but it would not be illegal unless it went further than the UN permitted range of 150km or was equipped to disperse chemical or biological weapons. Iraq says that its range is 55km.

Mr Negroponte called the undeclared drone “a matter of serious concern”.

Dr Blix refused to provide any details about a second find by inspectors that was not reported to the Security Council until Friday afternoon. The declassified UN report says: “Modified aircraft fuel tanks were found at Khan Bani Saad Airfield in December 2002. These tanks were stated to have been part of an indigenously manufactured agricultural spray system that was stated to have been produced by the air force. The expertise gained in the development of the generators and the evidence of ‘parallel’ work on a similar device that was not declared, is of some concern.”

The White House said that Iraq had failed to declare two unmanned aerial vehicles, the 7.45-metre drone and a converted L29 jet trainer with “drop-tanks” — auxiliary tanks to extend the range of aircraft.

Britain and America seized on the disclosures to persuade voters on the UN Security Council that an ultimatum was required.

[RinaseaofDs]

I want to ask a serious question:

How did Iraq get this powerful? Iraq has the backing of France, Germany, China, and Russia. They've outmanuevered us diplomatically. Our troops are literally being pushed into an oven with every day that goes by. Our economy is destroyed bit by bit every day we wait.

They did all of this, and they slaughter thousands of women, men, and children every year. They are only eclipsed in their brutality by North Korea.

Is this whole thing taking on some surreal quality to anyone else but me yet? It's as if the world believes that we actually intend to invade France for backing Iraq, and that the international community has qualms about us attacking France for BACKING Iraq.

There are now at least three smoking guns at this point. What possessed all of these countries to back 1441 if in the end they knew it wouldn't matter?

[jayef]

Apparently it takes a long time to find Iraq guilty, but a very short time to find Iraq innocent. Funny how that works.

[mikhailovich]

I find it peculiar the world's only superpower has amassed 250,000+ troops outside Iraq, only to wait on Hans Blix (American Senior President?) to decide what action to take.

We have only one President. Let's ROLL!

[cake_crumb]

' “Everyone tries to squeeze us to get as much mileage out of us as they can,” Dr Blix said after John Negroponte, the US Ambassador, questioned him about the drone in a closed-door session of the Security Council. “We have had a lot of work to get the cluster document together and to declassify it and it does take some time to produce these reports as well.” '

Yo, HANZIE...YOU HAD THE CLUSTER EFFING DOCUMENT IN HAND LAST FRIDAY WHEN YOU MADE YOUR SILLY, SLANTED, SADDEM-LOVING REPORT. Time was therefore no longer important.

[cake_crumb]

Saddam is certainly squeezing a lot of 'mileage' out of Blixie.

[Freedom 56]

Mr Blix should step aside and get someone in there that can do the job.

[TUX]

This is a very very useful exercise. Clever in the way that (1)it exposes to John Q. public the ineffectiveness of the UN in the areas of security (2)reveals the true friends of the USA (3)establishes the partners in rebuilding Iraq.

Drying up the cash-cow for France, Germany,and Russia to supply armaments to rouge nations hostile to the USA will be the greatest improvement in our security imagineable. It also will be a demonstration of the dead end result of contracts with these rogue nations.

[batter]

Does anyone have a specific 'tally sheet' with the unresolved Iraqi violations? I keep losing track of how many pounds etc of vx/other gas as well as bioagents etc etc are still unaccounted for.

If someone has or knows of a good concise summary sheet with those items I would greatly appreciate knowing about it!

[cake_crumb]

"Is this whole thing taking on some surreal quality to anyone else but me yet?"

It has been surreal for years and has only gotten steadily worse. Now it's well into the realm of the unbelievable ridiculous.

[concerned about politics]

Blix will go down in History as the man who destroyed the U.N.
Just like Clinton will go down as the man who destroyed the Democrat party.
People don't like being lied to. They don't forget it.

[theFIRMbss]

>I find it peculiar the world's only superpower has amassed 250,000+ troops outside Iraq, only to wait on Hans Blix (American Senior President?) to decide what action to take.

Bin Laden didn't
wait to get clearances from
Germany and France

before ordering
his forces into action
in New York City.

Has America
become King George's Britain?!
Can we be out-fought

by bold, creative
small units fighting un-bound
by old conventions?

Look how much progress
the anti-war front has made
while our government

has been speech-making.
Every day we don't go in,
our foes get stronger...

[cake_crumb]

For anyone who missed this last night, this is a MUST READ exposé of the UN's permanent job protection program, which requires the presence of dictators like Saddam so UNworkers can keep living off the American taxpayer...

Kofi Annandersen: Enron-style accounting at the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program. (link opens in new window)

[syriacus]

[ambassador] questioned [Blix] about the drone in a closed-door session of the Security Council.

Glad someone has finally confronted Blix.

But I'm surprised he didn't find Blix eating Feuillete of Escargot in the United Nations Delegates Dining Room. The menu at the dining room has a decidedly French slant, just like Blix.

Appetizers

• Feuillete of Escargot $9.25. Burgundy snails sautéed with fennel and aromatics finished with chartreuse and heavy cream.
• Lobster Bisque $7.95. Morsels of lobster served in a traditional velouté finished with heavy cream and sherry.
• Frisée and Lardon Salad $6.25. A salad of frisée combined with apple smoked bacon, mustard vinaigrette and finished with garlic croutons.
• Grilled Focaccia with Shaved Fennel Mushroom Salad $6.75. Slices of rosemary focaccia lightly grilled, served with marinated olives and a shaved fennel mushroom salad with lemon vinaigrette.

Main courses

• Pan Seared Filet of Turbot Meuniere $26. A pan seared filet served with traditional brown butter and finished with grilled lemons and fresh herbs.
• Free Range Breast of Chicken with Lingonberry Glaze $21. A French style cut breast of chicken, pan seared and finished with lingonberries and fresh herbs.
• Grilled Filet of Atlantic Salmon with Charred Tomato Vinaigrette $23. A herb marinated filet of salmon lightly grilled and finished with charred roma tomato vinaigrette.
• Grilled Angus Steak and Bistro Style French Fries $27. A 14 oz. Steak char-grilled and finished with a roasted garlic horseradish butter.
• Rigatoni with Porcini Mushroom Crea, and Grana-Padana Crisps $19. Mezze rigatoni tossed in a rich sauce of porcini mushrooms, cream, fresh herbs and cracked pepper.

Desserts

• Banana Pound Cake Brulee $6.5. Whole butter pound cake crusted with turbunado sugar and served with caramelized bananas and fromage blanc ice cream.
• Spiced Pineapple and Coconut Ice Cream $6. Golden Pineapple gently infused with saffron and spices served with rich coconut gelato.
• Poached Pear with Cardamom Cookies $5.5. A ripe bartlett pear poached with cinnamon and herb syrup.
• Crème Brulee $5.5. Vanilla custard traditionally topped with burnt sugar and garnished with candied macadamia nuts.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Blix is obviousely in cahoots with the prix, we could call his teams of inspectors Inspectors; "Blix Prix" or "Saddams Scams".

[princess leah]

You know, it reminds me of how Bush tried to bring "civility" to Washington when he became President...instead all he got was obstructionism, backbiting, and continual lying from the democrats...Same thing with the UN...it's time to wake up and realize that the talking is a front and we're being pushed around by the enemy! LET'S ROLL!

[mhking]

Smack Blixie cross his head...please...

[cake_crumb]

(**wracking brain, wracking brain**) I GOT IT...weapons inspectors' reports are dual use weapons for the UN : on the one hand, they're meant to show the inspectors are really trying to disarm Saddam, but on the OTHER hand, they're meant to HIDE any continuing BRAECH by Saddam in order to further secure the continuance of UN jobs.

Which is why Blixie Boy's excuses sound like Saddam's.

[The Wizard]

he's denied everything else

[cake_crumb]

"If someone has or knows of a good concise summary sheet with those items I would greatly appreciate knowing about it!"

Answer: ALL of them. If you feel up to it, an extensive list of unresolved questions is in that report that Blixie tried to hide last week:

Blixie's Cluster **** Report (Link opens in new window. WARNING: this is long and may take a while to load.)