IF SADDAM ALIVE, WAR IS FAR FROM OVER

Thought | 22 March 2003 | Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Saddam was targeted. Saddam may be dead. However, unless his death and that of his sons is confirmed, a grave danger still faces U.S., British and allied forces. Saddam, from reports now coming out, obviously has been running a cult-like operation.

Like all murderous cults before, the leader of this one probably has in mind a last-ditch suicide scenario that takes out not only the enemy but his/her own followers as well. The hope is that intelligence is SURE that no major nuclear weapon exists that could be detonated over Baghdad. If such happens, we are in big trouble. If such a weapon were used when large numbers of U.S./British, etc. troops are in or near the city, the losses would be devastating. The political ramifications and ensuing world conflict would be worse. All Muslim nations would explode in rage as propagandists would immediately claim that the U.S. did it. North Korea's Kim Jong Il would come unglued assuming we were going to nuke him. China would destabilize immediately thereafter as would what is left of Russia.

Before you start flaming...the above HAS to be considered and I'm sure it is already. It is imperative that we find and kill Saddam Hussein and his sons as quickly as possible. Those who don't support us in this war have not realized who they are dealing with. If Saddam were to have been allowed to continue on the path he was heading, he would have most certainly attacked his neighbors, developed nuclear capability beyond the use specified above, and would have been a clear and present danger to world stability.

[shattered]

I understand, but think you may be overestimating their intelligence.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

No one wants to take on the US at this point.

I hope you are right. Now is the time for GWB to set a clear precedent for those who have such thoughts in mind. It is time for us to be able to live in peace. If someone wants war, pick on China or someone else.

[Colinsky]

Is anyone else as sick of the phrase "shock and awe" as I am? It sounds like something a P.R. firm would think up.

I'm from Michigan, so it makes me think of Saginaw.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

So our experts say it's not ours and the other experts say it's not theirs...

Yes, exactly.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

He is? Confirmation? This is going to become a war against Islam, by the way, whether Saddam is alive or dead. Now, they sneaked into one of our camps and attacked a tent with officers in it. Has to be fanatics loyal to Islam. This is going to take a long time. We must begin deportations of anyone who could be suspect immediately.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

I posted before the war started that I doubted that this was going to be quick and easy and I still feel that way.

You were right. So few here ever listen to reason anymore. So many times they've been told about illegal immigration and the coming conflict over that, so many times they've been told about Islam and the inherent danger in that religion, and so many times they've been told these sick idiots have something up their sleeve...oh well, I've tried.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

I understand, but think you may be overestimating their intelligence.

Perhaps I was.

[The Great Satan]

If Saddam has WMD, but the WMD threat can simply be neutralized by killing Saddam, how do those WMD increase his security or range of action? Saddam's a head of state, a public figure: there is a limit to how deep under cover he can go and still control his country. His deadly enemies include countries like the United States, Britain and Israel, countries which have plenty of technical means to project force on any desired scale anywhere into Iraq. So, what might you infer from that?

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

If he is alive, the will to use the WMD is present. If he is dead, more than likely less will exists to use the WMD.

[The Great Satan]

I think it's in neither sides' interest to declare Saddam dead, because there has to be a real possibility that a mechanism is in place to release WMD in that eventuality. That is the way every WMD deterrent is set up. If that were not the case, possession of WMD would hardly be in the interest of Saddam, would it? It would be like pinning a sign on his forehead saying, "Hit me, and I won't be a problem any more."

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Saddam is dead

Remember this? More later.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

We may never be able to confirm the deaths of Saddam or Osama Bin Laden.

Beginning to look that way. And, if he's alive, a pretty big problem exists. Oh well, few ever listen to me anyway. Later.