Report: U.S suspects Iraqi WMD in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley

Drudge via World Tribune ^ | Monday, August 25, 2003

[wasp69]

I don't think he was asking questions. I think he was sneering and using a cynical approach to sow distrust of our commander in chief in a war, a war, not a political arguement over how to spend our tax money.

Do you think? Or do you know? Did you try and get any more clarification? From the looks of it, you didn't. There were many invitations for billbears to shut up, buzz off, go to DU, etc. There were very few that actually engaged him and did honest debate. You, as I have pointed out, were not among them.

So why does Bilious come here implying GWB and our intelligence is lying or deceiving us? That is the question I was answering. I was saying he is no friend to us, to our war effort, was undermining trust at a vital time.

I think the implication was going to war on faulty intelligence. Billbears points out that North Korea and Saudi Arabia are more immediate threats than Iraq was. While I disagree, I must admit that he may have a point. I personally happen to think that Iraq puts us in a position to hit every viper's nest from a central location as well as put pressure on Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. But I will personally attest to billbear being genuine. I can say that he subscribes to the old philosophy of keeping ourselves out of entangling wars and actions. That is a philosophy of the Founding Fathers. I think that preemptive action was needed in this case and am glad we did it; he doesn't. Why not engage in honest debate and change his mind?

You don't sit around carping in a political way about the Commander during wartime unless of course you are part of a fifth column. I used to think that was all paranoid thinking but I am more and more convinced it is so.

Really? And you didn't say a word when Bill Clinton was bombing Iraq in 1998? I sure did. Does that make me not "genuine", "traitorous", "part of a fifth column", a "naive congenital distrustful doubter"? How about you? Do you fit those descriptions if you cast doubt about Clinton's actions? I don't think it does and furthermore, I don't think it makes billbears that way, either. Because I know him to not be a socialist rabble rouser or a democrat, I think he asks hard questions and makes good points, even if I don't agree with them. If it comes to the point where I don't trust what I am being told by President Bush, or his admin, I will start asking questions. Lots of them.

I think you are way way off base.

I know that I am not. A little research would tell you the same.

[billbears]

LOL!! What condescending crap. Not a valid argument yet I see

Yep, I think this will last a generation but maybe not. This "vital time" refers to a state of war and a state of maybe siege as there are forces about who wish to kill us, fly our planes into big buildings, bomb people around the globe

Well considering that this 'threat' will be there twenty years from now just as today, I take it you consider the next twenty five years to be 'vital'. So we're not going to be able to criticize the national government for the next twenty years? Unless a Democrat is in office? That it?

I am beginning to think of Islamo fascist addicted to bombing. I have yet to see anything they do that is helpful. Even the fascists in Italy ran the trains on time. Even the fascists in spain sort of kept a clean country. Even the Singapore government doesn't allow smoking and depositing butts on the street.

And so now we compare evils. Evil is evil, plain and simple. Mind you this has nothing to do with your argument and doesn't support your position but I enjoy to see where the political views of someone that is going to rant about nothing in general comes from.

So it is vital now that we eliminate them and if it takes a generation to do so, well so be it. The world will be better. And all the rest is white noise and fear.

Ah, genocide, the cry of those in the 'right'. Get rid of them all!! Forget trying to actually carry on a conversation. I'm sure the Bible said to destroy your adversary instead of agreeing with them... (Mind you I think they're a bit on the kook side as well, but I'm not advocating complete destruction of an entire civilization)

We would all just like to read our paper, drink our Lattes, visit our children and friends, have dates, play tennis, go fishing, etc. But it just won't be that way for a while.

May not for you, but it will for me. I like fishing. And your statement doesn't agree with the President and AG Ashcroft. They 'told' us to go about our lives. Or were they not talking about fishing?

And carping and referring to the President is such a derisive way, "The great W", wont really strengthen us for what may come

Word of note to cajungirl. He's a politician. It doesn't matter what party, he's still a politician. Granted he may be more moral than Clinton, but at the rate the money's being spent tied in with the foreign policy, I can't call him conservative. At least not in the truest sense

But my dear young man, you need to grow up and not be so scared of the future. We will all face it together, some at more risk than us.

I'm not scared. I don't think Allah Akhbar is coming to get me, and if I am attacked I will more than happily defend myself. Mind you, my choice of weapons is slowly being taken away from me considering the President plans to joyfully sign the AWB, but I'll still defend myself.

[mhking]

Paging Israel: You can take the gloves off now, as long as your first target is here.

[Montfort]

Great point.

[billbears]

I personally happen to think that Iraq puts us in a position to hit every viper's nest from a central location as well as put pressure on Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.

Thanks, you bring up an interesting point in this and it is a valid point that does concern me. I do believe with you there is a need to establish a more stable form of government there

[wasp69]

Thanks, you bring up an interesting point in this and it is a valid point that does concern me. I do believe with you there is a need to establish a more stable form of government there.

That is what I am seeing from the behavior of the governments in that area and the fact that terrorists are pouring into the country. Not only have we caused the imam dictators to soil their drawers but we now have the terrorists coming to us. While losing any of our fighting men is always a tragedy, it seems we kill more of them than they can ever hope to do with us. For the islamokazies, this is the big battle and I believe it is one we have to win.

I also believe we will find the weapons. Sorry, billbears, I gotta disagree with ya on that one.

[Light Speed]

However it goes...Syria is not **really listening are they?

Syria has alot of **Good Cards to play...don't they.

Past decade has Syria build deep layered missile complexes ..some are inside Mountains with role out launch bays.

SCUD C/D..although it is a dressed up WW-2 V2..it can loft Bio/chem warheads...Syria could make things grevous for Israel in a war..but they would still get the living **** kicked out of them.

From what I have been able to glean on the intel...Syria is going to play 'Stubborn Mule' with Washington...get all they can out of it.

One article noticed from 2001..and believe to be the crux of the gaming by Syria...has some to do with Egypt.

Both nations are not signatory to anything as far as missiles and WMD.

Egypt wants to keep its missiles..and a low profile.
They are afraid..if Syria caves to U.S. pressure..thier Missile program will collapse too.
Syria fears same the other direction.

Syria also has a stubborn stance on Golan..they desire the U.S. to make sttlement with them and Israel before the Palie issue is settled..their terms are stubborn too.

So..alot of gaming..threat language..lying..etc.

Syria's Scud series will see its re-supply and update reality ended in regards to North Korea...unless Syria R and D's things they will have trouble just maintaining their missile force..let alone advancing its abilites.

Washington is putting the squeeze on Tehran too ..by cutting off the N.K. supply pipeline..even though Irans missile program is frought with launch explosions..stage seperation explosions..guidance failure...explosions : ).

So as missiles go..**Hamdi's having a rough time of it. : )

anyways..here is a past Debka article:

Washington to Syria: Hand over Saddam’s WMD First

DEBKAfile Special Report

April 21, 2003, 12:43 PM (GMT+02:00)

Sunday, April 20, Damascus surrendered a top official of the Saddam Hussein’s regime, one of the eight granted sanctuary (as listed by DEBKAfile last Friday, April 18), Republican Guards secretary Kemal Mustafa al Tikriti, who is married to Saddam’s youngest daughter. The Syrians pushed him across the border to Iraq where he ‘surrendered” to US forces.

This was Syrian president Bashar Assad’s first response to the newly-delivered US ultimatum: deliver Iraq’s WMD and regime leaders or face military action. President George W. Bush noted with satisfaction that Syria was beginning to “understand the message”. But, according to DEBKAfile’s Washington sources, the handover of all the high-ranking Iraqi fugitives sheltering in Syria will not satisfy the US government or get it off the Assad government’s back. The US ultimatum to Damascus consists of three demands, to be followed in the same order:

First ,give up the weapons of mass destruction that Saddam has secretly hidden in Syria.

Second , return to Iraq all the officials of the Saddam regime granted asylum.

Last Friday, DEBKAfile listed the top eight as being: former vice president Izzat Ibrahim Al-Douri, Saddam’s bureau chief Abd Hamoud, Baath party boss Aziz Salah, special security service chief Hanni Tefalah, Republican Guards Secretary Kemal Mustafa, Republican Guards Commander Seif A-Din Suleih, Iraqi Intelligence Commander Taher Jaloul and Special Republican Guards commander, Gen. Barzan Suleiman Tikriti.

Kemal Mustafa was handed over Sunday.

Third ,disband the command structures of the Hizballah, Hamas, Jihad Islami and other Palestinian terrorist groups operating out of Lebanon and Damascus and give their leaders into American hands.

Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and other Arab emissaries, diplomatic and covert, who called on the Syrian president on Sunday laid stress on the first of the three demands as paramount. They warned him that Bush and his team will not rest as long as Syria withholds the evidence to show the world that America fought a just war against Iraq. The evidence that Saddam developed weapons of mass destruction is hidden in Syria. Washington may hold back a few days but, ultimately, Assad will not be allowed to dictate the way the war ends by denying the United States the primary fruits of victory – and not just over Saddam and his regime. Exposure of his banned arsenal will show up the error of those opposed the war, the United Nations, France, Germany, Russia and international anti-war opinion.

The Syrian ruler’s responded initially to the triple demand by an offer to gradually turn over the eight Iraqi leaders. He denied knowledge of any weapons of mass destruction hidden in Syria but promised to check again. In confidence, he told his close aides, according to DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources, that baring a single Iraqi unconventional weapon to the Americans would be suicidal for him, whether personally or as an Arab leader. He dare not stand out as the first and only Arab leader to surrender an Islamic weapon of mass destruction to the United States. As for the terrorist groups that Syria sponsors and hosts, Assad declared firmly that he will always regard them as freedom fighters – not terrorists.

These maneuvers were the Syrian president’s way of defusing the bomb Washington had laid at his feet by breaking it down into components. It is hard to imagine Washington letting him get away with this tactic. DEBKAfile’s Washington and Middle East sources all agree that, while welcoming the handover of Saddam’s list of eight, the Bush administration will not relent on its first and primary demand for the forbidden weapons arsenal. If Syria fails to hand it over voluntarily, the United States will take forcible action to recover it from its hiding place.

[bushfamfan]

Why not just let the bombs drop? As for the WMD, are all of Iraq's WMD there? What was this with hearing that David Kay and his inspectors may have found biological weapons? All of the WMD made it out of Iraq? Israel was the first to report that Syria was involved in taking in Iraqi weapons and Israel seems to be very good in regards to intelligence with the goings on in those terrorist countries.

[ravingnutter]

In addition to not finding any WMDs, they fail to explain why the WMDs weren't launched within 45 minutes as Blair had claimed they could be, and why Iraq didn't use them on us in all the years that they were supposed to have had them.

Maybe you have not seen the following thread...

Spy chief reveals '20 minute' warning

I've also never seen or heard a precise definition of the term "weapons of mass destruction". It's a nice vague scary term that means whatever they want it to mean.

That is because the term is so vague, there are many dual use chemicals that can be classified as WMD, it just depends on how they are used. More info...

“Almost all components and supplies used in weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes are dual-use. For example, any major petrochemical or biotech industry, as well as public health organisations, will have legitimate need for most materials and equipment required to manufacture chemical and biological weapons. Without UN weapons inspectors it is very difficult therefore to be sure about the true nature of many of Iraq’s facilities.

“For example, Iraq has built a large new chemical complex, Project Baiji, in the desert in north west Iraq at al-Sharqat . . . This site is a formeruranium enrichment facility which was damaged during the Gulf War and rendered harmless under supervision of the IAEA. Part of the site has been rebuilt, with work starting in 1992, as a chemical production complex. Despite the site being far away from populated areas it is surrounded by a high wall with watch towers and guarded by armed guards. Intelligence reports indicate that it will produce nitric acid which can be used in explosives, missile fuel and in the purification of uranium.”

Source

[BlackVeil]

Why do we continue to accept excuse after excuse from this or any other administration for wars based on misleading intelligence?

I don't know why we do, but it is a bad habit and we had better get out of it, before we end up in a war with Iran ... due to incontravertable evidence that President Khatami is the glutton type who has boxes of candy hidden under his bed. On current performance, any excuse will do, it seems to me.

[OXENinFLA]

Time to bump this again. PING... ...........

[The Cyber Menace]

I know this is an old item, but with events developing in Lebanon and Syria as they are, I have heard it talked about with greater frequency in the past few days.

The only problem I have with the Bekaa Valley/Saddam's WMD connection is this: how could the President of the United States fight one of the most important elections in American history WITHOUT bringing up the possible location of Saddam's WMD? He almost lost because of the issue. Why has it NEVER been raised by the administration?

This fact leads me to question the ongoing rumours about the possibility that the Bekaa Valley holds the remnants of Saddam's elusive arsenal.

[CharlieOK1]

The only problem I have with the Bekaa Valley/Saddam's WMD connection is this: how could the President of the United States fight one of the most important elections in American history WITHOUT bringing up the possible location of Saddam's WMD? He almost lost because of the issue. Why has it NEVER been raised by the administration?

National Security? We have a strong reason to believe that the WMD's are in the Bekaa, Assad knows we know, now they are playing a game of chicken. Just a guess

[HOORAH]

I realize this is an old article and an old post but I have to be concerned with your comment about how Muslims are "Kooky" but you don't believe that we should wipe out the whole civilization.

Why not? Have you ever read the Koran? Obviously not! When all of this began four years ago I felt compelled to learn of the Muslim culture and the teachings of their religion so I picked up a copy and did a lot of research about what they teach in their schools. Well you obviously do not know that they want to wipe out our whole civilization just because we are not Muslim. That is their goal! First it is to be the Saturday people (the Jews!) then the Sunday people (the Christians/Catholics!). It's called the Holy War! So I ask you Billbear why do you want to keep them alive and feel pity for them? They have none for us and they frankly want you dead and everyone else around you. They ingrain into their children's minds from birth to hate the USA with limericks and songs. So while we're teaching our children that Mary had a Little Lamb they're teaching their children how to blow us up. So please I implore you to not be so naive and to not cast one ounce of feeling towards them, they have none for you or anyone else in this country.

But you of course do not have to believe me. I'm a mere Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. I only defend those who are Court Marshalled for not following orders, etc. I was only brought to this site trying to find more defense for a debate that I've been having with my friend who is so far to the left he's about to fall off of the line. He, of course, never heard of these thoughts on the Bekaa Valley and will never believe me because I don't get my evidence from the New York Times or the ABC News. Why would I? They're so far to the left they already fell off of the line! Fair and Comprehensive journalism, I think not!

[Nam Vet]

As usual, FReepers read of several reports of the weapons dump there before the war even started.

Nam Vet

[Mr. Mojo]

"U.S. intelligence first identified a stream of tractor-trailer trucks moving from Iraq to Syria to Lebanon in January 2003. The significance of this sighting did not register on the CIA at the time."

Yeah, why should the CIA have found a huge convoy of trucks leading out of Iraq in the months leading up to the war the slightest bit suspicious? / sarc