Pilot believed alive, held in Iraq

Washington Times ^ | 3/11/02 | Bill Gertz

[kattracks]

U.S. intelligence agencies have obtained new information indicating Iraq is holding captive a U.S. Navy pilot shot down during the Persian Gulf war, The Washington Times has learned.

British intelligence provided the CIA and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) with the new information several months ago, and intelligence officials said it could assist in the ongoing investigation into the fate of Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Scott Speicher.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

There are 19 other MIA's from the Gulf War.

Where can I find the statistics for POW/MIA's from other wars than Vietnam?

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

February 1991: Colonel Millard Peck, Chief of the Pentagon's Special Office for Prisoners of War and Missing in Action, resigns in protest of being ordered by policy makers in the POW/MIA Inter-Agency Group not to investigate live-sighting reports of American POWs!

This pertained to Viet Nam POW/MIA's but was one month AFTER
Lieutenant Commander Michael Scott Speicher was shot down over Iraq.
Anybody think we really looked for the 20 MIA's from the Gulf War?
I don't!

[Imal]

The problem with stories such as this one is this: if he actually is alive, his chances of staying that way are now in question.

If the Iraqis have actually seen fit to keep this man alive secretly for over a decade without making it public -- indeed, according to the article, secrecy is extreme -- then they have some reason for doing so. Secret negotiations with the U.S. for his release in exchange for concessions, perhaps?

If the "secret" is out, then they may feel compelled to make this guy disappear quietly and fast, since he would no longer have value as a bargaining chip once his existence became public. What little international support Iraq has now would erode if they were viewed as holding hostages. They're still stinging from the "human shield" fiasco, which bought them no protection and cost them dearly in the court of world opinion. They also know enough about U.S. public opinion to know an incident like this would be writing a blank check for the President; he could carpet-bomb Baghdad if he wanted to. He almost has that already.

POW or KIA, this brave man's chances of coming home, alive or dead, were always low. Now they may well have just gotten lower.

Imal

[CaptSkip]

MY bad!!!!Iraq not Iran. A Bad night here. Had to call 911 due to a LOUD concussion just below the level of April 19, at my house here in OKC, 12 to 15 miles from the Murray Building.It was enough to cause me to "lock and load" a weapon and search the house with my mag light.

Had OKC PD and FD out here searching the area. I was WAY embarassed, but they did their job, God love 'Um.

My wife and I were both awake and heard the event, but no one else in the area called in a report according to the officer on scene.

I'm beginning to think it my have been a geological event.

I'll call OU, and OSU in the AM. Poor excuse if I f'd up, but man they rolled A WHOLE MESS OF LEO's AND FD based on my call.

They are the best people in the world.

[Nam Vet]

Bring them ALL home. I'm with ya Bro'.

Nam Vet

[GretchenEE]

Can anyone shed light on why they would release the other POW's and not him?

[Taylor]

If I am not mistaken, and this is the pilot from NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida, his wife has remarried. Can you imagine the conflicted emotions this poor woman must feel right now.

Iraq, You're next. Let's roll!

[WyCoKsRepublican]

Hummmmmmmm Seems we would have heard from Saddam to use use the pilot as a hostage or bargaining chip. I would be skeptical, yet, if there is a ray of hope, then it should be an avenue. I don't think he's alive however, just gut feelings.

[hammerdown]

Some of Saddam’s Dungeons
(This information was obtained from a former aide-de-camp of Barzan, Saddam’s half-brother and former Chief of General Intelligence.)

...and a grain of salt.

[The Raven]

This is a leak from Saddam with a purpose.

[Rustynailww]

"This is a leak from Saddam with a purpose."........human shield?

[Cvengr]

Sonic artillery?

[LenS]

He wasn't listed as missing. He was our first pilot shot down and was mistakenly thought to have been killed in the crash. So he wasn't on the list of potential prisoners. By the time it became clear that he might have survived the crash, Clinton was President and there was no way that administration was going to deal with a POW-MIA problem. He wasn't declared MIA until a week and a half before Dubya's inauguration.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..add this as another reason to remove Saddam...

Why?

If the pilot's still alive, and it's a big 'if', surely he'd get a bullet in the brain when the first bomb drops. 'Cause at that point his trading or propaganda value becomes nil.

But let's not even debate it. They've had this tawdry attempt to manipulate the public's emotions in the can for what, twelve months? Let's not give the boys in Psyops at Langley the satisfaction of believing we're silly enough to buy it.

[mewzilla]

So Bill Clinton (and Hilliary) let that man rot in an Iraqi prison for how long? How long do you suppose Bubba knew that one of our men was being held. If Bubba waited until just before Bush's inauguration to declare the pilot MIA, Bubba had to know and was attempting to cover his backside.

Wonder how Daschle will defend this?

[VA Advogado]

I think this is the first shot in the Iraq war.

[bimbo]

A real embarrasment to Bush41 and his legacy, Bush43. But I wouldn't be surprised if the Clinton Administration had this information years ago and decided to keep it secret.

[A. Pole]

British intelligence provided the CIA and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) with the new information several months ago, and intelligence officials said it could assist in the ongoing investigation into the fate of Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Scott Speicher.

I thought that it was Sgt. William Schumann?!

[A. Pole]

"Bring him home"

Yes, "Bring him home" old Shoe