Ritter: US will lose war against Iraq

Middle East Online ^ | 3-26-03

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Former UN weapons inspector says US does not have military means to take over Baghdad, defeat inevitable.

LISBON - The United States does not have the military means to take over Baghdad and will lose the war against Iraq, former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter said.

"The United States is going to leave Iraq with its tail between its legs, defeated. It is a war we can not win," he told private radio TSF in an interview broadcast here Tuesday evening.

"We do not have the military means to take over Baghdad and for this reason I believe the defeat of the United States in this war is inevitable," he said.

"Every time we confront Iraqi troops we may win some tactical battles, as we did for ten years in Vietnam but we will not be able to win this war, which in my opinion is already lost," Ritter added.

Stiffening Iraqi resistance as US-led forces close in on Baghdad have prompted questions about the strategy to use precision air power and a smaller, fast moving ground force to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Some military analysts have said there are not enough allied troops in Iraq to take control of Baghdad, where Saddam Hussein's elite troops are said to be concentrated, and that the planning of the war was overly optimistic.

But British Prime Minister Tony Blair told parliament Wednesday the United States and Britain believe they have "sufficient forces" in Iraq and London was not planning to send reinforcements to the country at this stage.

A combination of bad weather and heavy fighting in central Iraq has slowed the advance of coalition troops marching on Baghdad.

Ritter resigned in August 1998 after accusing both Washington and the United Nations of not doing enough to support the weapons inspectors.

Since leaving the UN weapons inspectors team he has become an outspoken critic of US policies towards Iraq.

[small voice in the wilderness]

....PLEASE....someone get him out of his misery. We have troops dying and this POS gets to spew his propoganda.

[Ebenezer]

Scott Ritter is joining the ranks of the infamous collaborators of years past such as Quisling, Petain, Tokyo Rose, Axis Sally, Lord Haw Haw, and Hanoi Jane.

UN weapons inspector....some honor!

[kjam22]

I think we have the military means to win the war of Baghdad. I'm not sure we are willing to do everything that may be necessary. I'm concerned that much of our "plan" is based on the idea that the Iraqi people want us to be there to liberate them. Personally I think taking over Baghdad and putting an American General in charge for a while may require killing about 25% of the people there before it is over with. I'm just not sure our country will go down that road. Certainly we need to do whatever it takes.

[finnman69]

"The United States is going to leave Iraq with its tail between its legs, defeated. It is a war we can not win," he told private radio TSF in an interview broadcast here Tuesday evening. "We do not have the military means to take over Baghdad and for this reason I believe the defeat of the United States in this war is inevitable," he said.

Scott once again proves he is on Saddam's side, not America's. Every time he tries toremind you, hey I served this country in uniform, remind him Benedict Arnold also serves this nation in uniform.

BENEDICT RITTER.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Well, that settles it. "General" Ritter says so.

[Lauratealeaf]

What is sedition?

[grumple]

yeah i want to see that Humpty Dance Ritter guy again.

[MEG33]

Please,give General Ritter all the respect he deserves.I know you can do it. ;0

[MizSterious]

So, is he saying this because he knows (and has known for a long time) that Hussein has bio/chem and nuke weapons--you know, the ones he and Blix claim Hussein doesn't have? Makes ya go hmmm anyway.

[The_Sword_of_Groo]

ROFL!

[MilleniumBug]

I would suggest deporting Ritter to France. But they would probably surrender to him.

[Snake65]

You're doing a disservice to Tokyo Rose by comparing her to Ritter. At least Rose played decent music for the GIs. My grandfather was a Marine in the Pacific and told me they used to look forward to her broadcasts. Ritter is all sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Thank you!

[clamper1797]

The interview was held at a local Burger King where Ritter held a large bag of fries on his lap and invited young girls to "take one."

I think you have this guy pegged KC :<)

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Before launching the same rebuilding experiment with Japan, we took out Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There is no reason to believe that we wouldn't fight to the nth degree this time.

The people may not be surrendering in the streets. However, they are not filling up the refugee camp at the border with Jordan, either. They are not moving, because they do not think they are in the gravest of danger. If they were worried about the US losing, and Saddam decimating the population of Baghdad with chemical weapons, don't you think they would be moving out, in droves?

The people in Basra are rising up. The people in Baghdad will do the same, when the moment is right.

Just my two cents.

[metesky]

Some one is calling for your speciality, sir.

[steve-b]

What happened to this guy? somebody must have him by the short ones.

Iraqi intelligence probably has some interesting video tape. It would serve him right if somebody found it and uploaded it to some sleazo porn site.

[samuel_adams_us]

The US can't win a war in Iraq either right? This guy is living proof that abortion should remain legal.

[brewcrew]

Sounds like Scotty would be very comfortable picking up an AK-47 and pointing it toward U.S. Marines.

Go ahead, Scotty. Make our day.