MSNBC- American Troops Have Found A Second Chemical Plant In Iraq

MSNBC | 3/23/03

[kattracks]

Nothing follows.

[BurbankKarl]

maybe they are awaiting the opening of markets in Europe...nothing like a rising dollar/lowering euro to shake those eu'ers

[so_real]

an elaborate ruse

That's what I was fearing ... at least until I heard this was a known target that intelligence had wanted checked out for some time. Happening across such a find in a dessert the size of California just seemed to good to be true. I figured it was a plant designed to gain sympathies for Hussein (ie. a fertilizer factory or something else similar to the same deal as the baby food factory).

[SendShaqtoIraq]

"I thought salt was mined, and not manufactured"

BINGO! Hence the phrase, "back to the ol' salt mine"

[madison46]

Very true...i'm turning into a HUGE skeptic.

[TheEaglehasLanded]

NO. BLIX IS IGNORANT

[goody2shooz]

...the Pentagon is backpedeling on the first story.

Actually they are just putting on hold exactly what the facility might be. They are sending the proper team, with anti-contamination suits, out to the first site to make an evaluation. No one dares go inside until that team arrives and checks it out.

[mdmathis6]

Well, given that it is ABC news...you have to suspect the spin. Also why have such a high ranking General running a benign chemical plant that makes "salt", especially surrounded by electrical fences and located near army barracks?

[American in Israel]

They have to state that it was a chemical munitions plant first before they can backpedal. They have refused to do so until they can test the various materials found to identify what they are.

Funny thing about the Allies, we like to speak truth and truth must be verified first. It is only the leftists and Islamic's who go off half-cocked in the first place.

I really am beginning to think that the kids that are raised by Television sets have about a 15 minute attention span. If they do not get an answer within that time they forget the plot of the show and carry on.

Lucky for us adults are at the helm now.

[Humidston]

I gather this means you'll be disappointed if they do prove it? Well, hide and watch!

Sheesh.... You must be named Hans Blix.

[FlatLandBeer]

Well you all know this can't be. They have no wepons. This so called plant is a fake manufactured by Bush's freinds Bectel and the Carlyle group. They were flown in as either Seabees or Combat Engineers. No way can this be real.

At least I'm sure we will hear this BS spin.

[nicmarlo]

The reason they can't confirm the first site yet is that they are still waiting for the French translator to arrive ;-)

No, the real reason they're not yet confirming the first site is not a "fertilizer chemical plant," as suggested by CNN yesterday (which overlooks the fact that it would highly unlikely to camoflauge and place electric wire fences surrounding the building), is because they need the expert to come in and verify it's a WMD chemical facility. That would be Blix. /sarcasm.

[woofer]

'...and baby milk formula in the summertime, when we don't need the salt.'

"...and that's why it needed to be camoflauged and surrounded with an electrified fence. Plus, the military barracks directly adjacent to the humanitarian facility was to deflect the rioting of the iraqi children, who have been dying by the thousands every day due to the American's sanctions and couldn't get any baby milk. That, coupled with the icy road conditions..."

[We Happy Few]

"Ignorance is Blix."

There are degrees of ignorance. At some point it crosses the line from a simple mistake to gross incompetence. A little bit later you have to start questioning whether there is knowing disregard for the truth--or, worse, complicity.

[RightOnline]

"As is, the Pentagon is backpedeling on the first story."

No, they aren't. Quite the opposite.

Plus.........if it isn't a chemical weapons plant of some type, why was it A) heavily camouflaged to blend in with the surrounding desert, B) surrounded by heavy barbed wire, C) guarded by over 30 Iraqi troops, D) ringed by aging barracks........barracks, as in the places where soldiers bunk, and D) run by a general officer?

Oh yes.....and do chemical workers routinely "surrender"?

Think Dow Chemical, Iraqi branch just got a wild hair one day?

[XJarhead]

Plus.........if it isn't a chemical weapons plant of some type, why was it A) heavily camouflaged to blend in with the surrounding desert, B) surrounded by heavy barbed wire, C) guarded by over 30 Iraqi troops, D) ringed by aging barracks........barracks, as in the places where soldiers bunk, and D) run by a general officer?

Well, could it perhaps be some place that manufactures military explosives or fuels? You might hide and guard such a place as well. I dunno. I'm just reluctant to conclude that it truly is chemical weapons facility until we've got solid confirmation, and I suspect its going to be awhile before we get that.

[Spook86]

Great line...wish I'd thought of that one.....

[RightOnline]

Don't think it will take long. There is a sizeable team in country right now whose sole reason for being is just exactly this: go into suspected sites for WMD's, analyze them, evaluate them, etc., and render appropriate judgment. This team, I'll wager, is already all over this site like a cheap suit. I heard a former weapons inspector on FNC last evening say that once they get there, they'll be able to render such a judgment on the facility damned fast.