Posted on 10/12/2004 5:16:29 AM PDT by FlyLow
John Kerry continued to demonstrate the shallowness of his understanding of the war on terror during the debate this week. By continuing to blast President Bush for attacking Iraq and supposedly "taking his eye off the ball", Kerry confirmed his position that "the right war was in Afghanistan". Such a belief supports the notion that the war on terror was a battle of nation-states, and not the dispersed, decentralized and pandemic reality. The Kerry position, one that he frequently reinforced by reference to the Duelfer report, raises a question. Did he read the report?
Senator Kerry, what does it mean when Charles Duelfer says, in the executive summary of the report, page 1, that "he wanted to end sanctions while preserving the capability to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction when sanctions were lifted?
What does it mean that he wanted to "preserve Iraq's intellectual capacity" for WMD development? Does this mean that the inspection regime was succeeding? What does it mean that the "Oil for Food program was a key turning point FOR the regime"? What does it mean, when Charles Duelfer says "By 2001-2002 Saddam had managed to mitigate many of the effects of sanctions and undermine their international support"? What does it mean that "Under Saddam's orders, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs formulated and implemented a strategy aimed at these UNSC members (Russia, France and China) and international public opinion with the purpose of ending U.N sanctions and undermining its subsequent OFF (Oil-for-Food) program by diplomatic and economic means"? What does it mean when Charles Duelfer says that the UN, by allowing Iraq to develop short-range missile systems, allowed Iraq to keep and maintain the intellectual property necessary to develop and build long-range weapons systems?
But perhaps the thing that is most revealing about the shallowness of John Kerry's understanding of the interconnection of Iraq with global terrorism is his adamant refusal to acknowledge and his surprising willingness to distort the facts. During the first day of the war, our troops engaged a training camp in the north-east of Iraq, housing as many as two hundred terrorist trainees. The facility was called "vast" and "extensive" at the time. Abu Abbas was found living in comfort in Baghdad, among other terror notables. Saddam was writing checks for $25000 U.S. to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers. Perhaps the Senator believes these findings are inconsequential, or minor in nature.
And what of the Kerry claim that he could "bring our allies along" to complete the war in Iraq. France and Germany have both said, in recent days, that they would not provide troops in Iraq, now, or under any other U.S. administration. Especially in the case of France, noted as a financial participant in Saddam's efforts to dismantle U.N. sanctions, it is unlikely that participation would be forthcoming.
Duelfers report is deeply revealing. On page 54 of section one there is a revealing list of commercial ties and covert strategies that Saddam used to acquire finances and technology to further his WMD ambitions. Among the findings;
On December 27, 2002, the President of Russian company Russneft made arrangements for a five person deputation to negotiate with the Iraqi Oil Ministry for oil and gas contracts.
In 2002, Baghdad sent a scientific delegation to Belarus and China in order to "stay current on all aspects of nuclear physics and to procure a "prohibited" Chinese fiber optics communication system".
On page 55, the report states "By offering permanent and non-permanent Security Council members "carrots and sticks", Iraq believed it managed to partially influence voting at the UNSC. Carrots included offering companies from those countries lucrative contracts. Saddam "expressed confidence that France and Russia would support Iraq's efforts to further erode the UN sanctions regime".
But, enough. The conclusion that must be drawn from the Duelfer report, is complex, but reinforces the Presidents assessment and decision to go to war. According to the report, Iraq did not have stockpiles of WMD, but retained all of the necessary technology and manpower to develop and deploy them rapidly. Saddam was using bribes and kickbacks to defeat and erode the UN sanctions on economic trade. Saddam was using the Oil for Food program to gather financial resources to fund a renewed weapons program. Saddam was pursuing a strategy within the UN to eliminate sanctions. Saddam intended to re-start his programs as soon as sanctions ended. To quote President Bush in one address, Iraq was a "gathering threat" bent on acquiring nuclear, chemical and biological WMD. And, thanks to the dishonesty of some of the same "allies" that John Kerry would bring to the table, Saddam was succeeding.
Kerry has frequently charged President Bush with being incompetent, of making poorly informed and rash decisions. In the face of the REAL content of the Duelfer report, there is one candidate that is naïve to a fault, and perhaps incompetent in this years Presidential race. One candidate in this race is willing to believe in, and rely on alliances with nations that were actively and covertly trading with an outlaw regime. One candidate in this race is willing to believe that a program of sanctions that was failing, and that was being actively undermined by Saddam Hussein, would effectively control Saddam's ambitions.
John Kerry.
Perhaps incompetent? This Eastcoast Brahmin is a political rodent who coulndn't lead a swift boat out of harm's way. In no uncertain terms, he is not capable of being the leader of this nation.
Links to Duelfer Report are at: http://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd_2004/ <-- Link
Duelfer Report Key Findings <-- 160 kB PDF of main findings (get it, read it)
Glad somebody had time to read the report.
Thanx
Is this the same Charles Duelfer whose reports on the Salman Pak Highjacking School and discovery of Iraqi SA-2 batteries
with UNMOVIC tags still on them in Rotterdam were ignored by the MSM?
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