Posted on 04/02/2004 12:05:40 PM PST by Anti-Bubba182
 Liberals added their voice to talk radio March 31, 2004 as comedian Al Franken launched the Air America Radio Network with 'The O'Franken Factor' show, offering a sharp contrast to conservative hosts like Rush Limbaugh, who dominate the U.S. airwaves. Franken (R) is seen with former U.S. Chief Weapons Inspector for Iraq (news - web sites) David Kay at the 60th annual Radio and Television Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington, March 24, 2004. (Jason Reed/Reuters) |
I like that one!
"Ah, we meant to say no connection between Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden. Well, in that case, how do you explain the conviction, shared by Clarke and Benjamin and Simon, that Iraq was behind Bin Laden's deadly operation in Sudan? The Age of Sacred Terror justifies the Clinton strike on Khartoum on the grounds that "Iraqi weapons-scientists" were linked to Bin Laden's factory and that the suggestive chemical EMPTA, detected at the site, was used only by Iraq to make VX nerve gas. At the time, Clarke defended the bombing in almost the same words, telling the press that he was "sure" that "intelligence existed linking bin Laden to Al Shifa's current and past operators, the Iraqi nerve gas experts and the National Islamic Front in Sudan." The U.N. arms inspector upon whom all three relied at the time, for corroborating evidence implicating Saddam, was a man who has since become famous: David Kay."
He's definately in the Hans Blix category.
"..Iraq appears to have settled on a production method which involved preparing EMPTA as a precursor. This process is not considered the optimal route for VX manufacture, but it is thought that the Iraqis settled on it because the EMPTA route allows for production and isolation of VX in a simple final stage, which could be carried out in the field if necessary.
Iraq may have used VX in its chemical cocktail attacks on Iraqi Kurds..."
".. The administration claimed to justify the attack because of the presence of EMPTA (O-ethyl methyl phosphonothoic acid) a chemical that may be used in the production of VX nerve gas, but experts say, this proves nothing on its own, whether found in the soil near a factory or inside the factory itself. Professor R.J.P. Williams, who is Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at Oxford an authority on biological systems and on EMPTA said "It can be an intermediate in the production of VX gas, but it can be an intermediate for dealing with agricultural pests and for myriad other purposes." "Trace elements in adjacent soil are of no use. Either the administration has something to hide, or for some reason is withholding the evidence." In fact EMPTA is a chemical normally found at plants who produce pesticides and medical drugs..."
Although the above is from Left Wing spin on the Sudan Attack, it does allow that EMPTA can be a precurser to VX and did offer the Iraqis some wiggle room if EMPTA was found there prior to the war, provided anyone would believe their claim of innocent uses for anything.
The question occours to me that since we found many pesticide concentrates in Iraq, was any EMPTA found and how much?
For obvious reasons what is on the net does not detail the "field procedure" for VX mentioned in my post 25, but I wonder how difficult is is to do. What other materials and equipment are required, and most importantly was any of this found in Irag and how much? They can't detail the procedure but they can answer in general terms the last question and give general information on whether the assemby of this material was something practical to do in the field.
Iraq had roads and organization to do things pretty quickly, but our military ground attack moved very fast and was Not preceded by a long air campaign that would give Iraq both warning and time to prepare a WMD response. Also, deep into Iraq there would be the strong possibility of high civilian casualties against an enemy that was both prepared for the attack and one who would respond viciously. The Husein regeime included some horific characters, but it would still be difficult to assume they would reliably carry out a WMD attack on their own turf.
The absence of an Iraqi WMD attack or materials nearby Army positions doesn't preclude the possibility that they could do it and we simply caught them before they were ready.
Everthing I have read about the inspectors suggests to me that only loaded munitions would satisy them for the presence of WMDs. I don't think they have the imagination, or even the inclination, to consider field expedient methods. They are thinking in a Western high tech mindset about an adversary that is basically a Third World country with some very dangerous toys.
"The absence of an Iraqi WMD attack or materials nearby Army positions doesn't preclude the possibility that they could do it and we simply caught them before they were ready."
They did find chem suits and atropine, so they were prepared. However, they weren't used which tells me they probably couldn't put together a chem attack. I tend to think your point that our military ground attack moving so fast made the difference is spot on. One more thing...IIRC, the Tigris River tested positive for chemicals. There was speculation that chemicals had been dumped in the river.
"Everthing I have read about the inspectors suggests to me that only loaded munitions would satisy them for the presence of WMDs. I don't think they have the imagination, or even the inclination, to consider field expedient methods."
Exactly! They were looking for the finished product, which was silly.
Thank you, again, for the post.
I wonder if there is anything to this? This would put WMDs in Bagdad.
ping for latter swatting of liberal lying weasels
In a word, pontification.
Great post
There was a lot of that around. The inspectors were not imaginative.
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.