Posted on 10/28/2004 4:36:02 PM PDT by Cavalier79
Oct. 28, 2004 — The strongest evidence to date indicates that conventional explosives missing from Iraq's Al-Qaqaa installation disappeared after the United States had taken control of Iraq.
Barrels inside the Al-Qaqaa facility appear on videotape shot by ABC television affiliate KSTP of St. Paul, Minn., which had a crew embedded with the 101st Airborne Division when it passed through Al-Qaqaa on April 18, 2003 — nine days after Baghdad fell.
Discrepancy Found in Explosives Amounts
Alleged American Al Qaeda Warns of U.S. Attacks Video Suggests Explosives Disappeared After U.S. Took Control Person of the Week: Complete Coverage Experts who have studied the images say the barrels on the tape contain the high explosive HMX, and the U.N. markings on the barrels are clear.
"I talked to a former inspector who's a colleague of mine, and he confirmed that, indeed, these pictures look just like what he remembers seeing inside those bunkers," said David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington.
The barrels were found inside sealed bunkers, which American soldiers are seen on the videotape cutting through. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency sealed the bunkers where the explosives were kept just before the war began.
"The seal's critical," Albright said. "The fact that there's a photo of what looks like an IAEA seal means that what's behind those doors is HMX. They only sealed bunkers that had HMX in them."
After the bunkers were opened, the 101st was not ordered to secure the facility. A senior officer told ABC News the division would not have had nearly enough soldiers to do so.
It remains unclear how much HMX was at the facility, but what does seem clear is that the U.S. military opened the bunkers at Al-Qaqaa and left them unguarded. Since then, the material has disappeared.
ABC News' Martha Raddatz filed this report for World News Tonight
Exactly. Thank You. Get really tired of nameless experts.
"And de nile is not just a river in...
Cleveland?
nevermind... you had to be there."
I was there........ Ah, another Californian with a strange sense of humor! Love it! I keep telling people that's the only way conservatives survive here!
I disagree...I saw the report on ABC and my reaction was "oh sh!t"...they did not leave much for interpretation for the general, ask no questions audience.
All that discusses is the seals. What did they say about the contents of the bunkers that showed barrels of what is said to be the explosives, given their corresponding IAEA marking number labeled on them.
I suggest they STFU.
"Seems they forgot to mention this in thier report."
Along with a lot of other things I'm sure!!
What they should care about is a candidate going off half al QAQaa'd withhout the facts.
This hurts Kerry
We were thinking last night that Rove set them up - now it looks like the opposite. The smoking gun was held back until after the Bush team gave a response. CBS pretended to be fair and now they will hammer this home on Sunday. This was made to be bigger than it should have been with the help of Fox, Rush and the Bush team. Now they will bludgeon us with it. Hope like hell it doesn't affect the electorate a la DUI 2000.
Exactly. The same trucks that took the explosives away might have brought sand.
this is timed to counter the Gertz piece, right?
It remains unclear how much HMX was at the facility, but what does seem clear is that the U.S. military opened the bunkers at Al-Qaqaa and left them unguarded.
There was a strain in her voice as she made that remark, almost like she had a lump in her throat she was so mad.
It was a very disturbing and unbalanced report.
/sarcasm
"and how does anyone know what is in the barrels. Might just be good old sand put there to fool the inspectors."
Why would any reporter for the old media want to bother with a silly little thing like the facts!!
"and how does anyone know what is in the barrels. Might just be good old sand put there to fool the inspectors."
Why would any reporter for the old media want to bother with a silly little thing like the facts!!
If Kerry is saying Bush is directly responsible for any missing explosives (assuming that might be true which is a HUGE stretch) then Kerry is pretty much endorsing we fight in Iraq using a Vietnam--Lyndon Johnson approach of planning, strategy, direct control of what happens in the field from the White House. This is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS to do such a thing.
All military generals will tell you they do NOT want the White House calling the shots on a micro-level. Essentially John Kerry is endorsing a Lyndon Johnson tyyp approach from the Whitehouse...one that military personnel insist is why we lost in Vietnam.
It certainly doesn't look like 380 tons worth.
I would like to know how with all the military traffic going by someone could bring in a truck and pack it away. Considering the fact that most of the people shooting at our guys were in civilian dress. So a bunch of jokers show up in big trucks and grab the drums of explosives? I am sure that wouldn't make the APACHE GUNSHIPS or PLANES or TANKS or APCs even look twice.
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