Posted on 03/23/2003 4:34:41 PM PST by ex-Texan
Editorial: U.S. Finds Iraqi Chemical Weapons Plant and Banned Cruise Missiles
These recent discoveries are breaking news on the Internet today. However, these reports are not even on the radar screen for the American mainstream media. Not yet. It will be at least a couple of days before you might hear about these reports on your local television channel. Or it may take a bit longer.
The major America networks are too busy broadcasting stories with geniune "human interest" impact. Their primary focus is zeroed in on accidental attacks on British warplanes and the first reports of deaths of troops fighting on the front lines. People across the nation are slowly waking up to realize that television journalists are not investigative reporters. Not by a long shot.
The discovery of the chemical weapons facility apparently shocked the U.S. troops who found the huge underground plant. It must have been shock to walk inside the huge underground facility stocked with hundreds of tons of weapons. And then finding Russian cruise missiles.
You may read the detailed report The Jersalem Post and a very short report on World Net Daily. The full report in the Jersalem Post is worth the few moments it takes to sign up. But it is not for the weak of heart. The gritty details are a bit scary.
Because this is just the our first discovery of Weapons of Mass Destruction and banned cruise missiles. We will be greeted by other discoveries in the following weeks. And many may not be very pleasant experiences.
But sources tell me that President George W. Bush must have received an encrypted telephone call at Camp David yesterday. He apparently cut short his planned weekend retreat at Camp David. I recall that on Friday evening my local television reporters were gushing about the President's "long weekend holiday." Little did they know . . . .
The caller must have had to inform the President's advisors about the Russian-made Al-Harith anti-shipping cruise missiles that had just been discovered. I can even imagine the unvoiced response.
Our military discovery yesterday must have had very serious diplomatic ramifications for the "Axis of Weasels." No doubt telephone lines are buzzing right now with diplomatic accusations and carefully worded denials.
Disingenuous evasions like, "Don't I know nothing about it ! . . . " will be made with genuine sincerity by the allied governments of Russia, France, Germany, and China.
Yeah, right .... Hans Blix, where are you ? Mr. Blix ? !
I quietly reiterate my warning posted about Saddam's carefully planned "Doomsday Scenario" and his very evil secret intentions for America.
New reports are surfacing again today that Saddam was killed by our missile attack last week. But I believe that Saddam's Ba-Ath Party inner circle has the will to go forward with his evil plans even though he may be dead.
Fighting the Ba-Ath Party may be as dangerous today as taking on the Nazis was in 1942. Maybe more dangerous.
(Excerpt) Read more at newspundit.net ...
Brett Baer just broke the story from the Pentagon.
I quietly reiterate my warning posted about Saddam's carefully planned "Doomsday Scenario" and his very evil secret intentions for America. New reports are surfacing again today that Saddam was killed by our missile attack last week. But I believe that Saddam's Ba-Ath Party inner circle has the will to go forward with his evil plans even though he may be dead. Fighting the Ba-Ath Party may be as dangerous today as taking on the Nazis was in 1942. Maybe more dangerous.
bttt
British troops outside Basra have discovered cruise missiles and warheads hidden inside fortified bunkers as part of a massive arsenal abandoned by Saddam Hussein's disintegrating southern army. Cases of rockets, giant anti-shipping mines and other ammunition are piled from floor to ceiling in dozens of bunkers at what is marked on maps as the Az Zubaya Heliport.
The most disturbing find was two Russian-made Al-Harith anti-shipping cruise missiles, each 6m long and 1m in diameter, and nine warheads, hidden in two enormous reinforced concrete bunkers.
Another missile, as yet unidentified, was found still crated up at the rear of one of the bunkers.
Some of the boxes are clearly marked with the names of British manufacturers. The scale and possible implications of the weapons find took British forces by surprise and raised fresh questions about the extent of the Iraqi war machine and the ability of weapons inspectors to cope with the task of scouring such a vast country for prohibited ordinance.
The discovery of the missiles - date-marked 2002 - came as British troops from the Black Watch Regiment fought to secure the area around Iraqi's second city, Basra, in preparation for the capture of the city.
The vast complex, surrounded by chainlink fence and barbed wire, stands to the southwest of the town, defended by a network of earth works and with tanks and other armoured vehicles dug in to the surrounding area.
But the defenders have fled after coming under attack from coalition forces. Outside the perimeter fence are about 40 bunkers packed with a mixture of RPGs and other ammunition. Inside, 22 larger fortified bunkers contain larger weaponry including the Al-Harith missiles.
The missiles, with Al-Harith 2002 stencilled in red paint on the side, and covered with cyrillic writing, were housed in 20-m-long concrete bunkers, 8m high, buried under earth and protected by sliding steel double doors 30cm thick.
Painted grey, the missiles have two wings, each about 60cm in span and three tail fins of a similar size. There was no indication of the nature of the warheads fitted and experts have been called in to examine the find.
Also housed inside the reinforced bunkers were what appeared to be large anti-shipping mines, 1m in diameter, and a host of other munitions.
On one box, written in English, were the words: "Contract AS Navy. 5/1980 Iran." Corporal Steven Airzee said: "The initial sight was a shock. We were trying to figure out what they were. You have to wonder whether the weapons inspectors have been there because they looked pretty big." The entrance to the heliport is decorated with a picture of Saddam Hussein in military uniform.
The area is surrounded by wrecked vehicles and abandoned sandbagged fox holes, some flying white flags, and is overlooked by a network of watch towers.
There are fears that weapons may have been taken from some of the bunkers which lie open outside the perimeter fence. Lieutenant Angus Watson said they found the haul when they arrived last night.
"The complex is massive and we were surprised to find a lot of the kit intact, easily enough for a whole brigade," he said.
They also discovered hundreds of leaflets lying on the floor, dropped by coalition planes, urging the defenders to surrender. The leaflets, and evidence of an aerial or artillery attack, appear to have persuaded the defenders to abandon their posts without a fight.
The whole world is watching. But will they see?
This sounds like it may be a Russian SS-N-27 (3M-54 Klub), which has a 300km range.
Did they give his name? Wonder if it's the evil Chemical Ali
This statement all by itself is a "smoking gun". One doesn't put GENERALS in charge of baby milk factories.
CNN has already swallowed the bullet. IMHO they are dying a slow and painful death already.
Klintoon and Hitlery tried..remember?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.