Posted on 06/22/2006 7:59:16 PM PDT by ikez78
WASHINGTON, June 22 — The United States government abandoned the search for unconventional weapons in Iraq long ago. But Dave Gaubatz has never given up.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
On 16 June 2006, I was informed of an interview Congressman Weldon had conducted on 13 June 2003. Congressman Weldon had stated, "the jury is still out" in regards to WMD in Iraq. He further stated he had been made aware of four WMD sites in Iraq that have never been searched by U.S. personnel. He said he had also been briefed by "Iraqis familiar with these sites". Weldon also stated if no WMD is located at these four sites he believes Russia was involved in moving the WMD to Syria. (Congressman Weldon is referring to the four sites I identified and the meeting I arranged for him involving Iraqi citizens). To read the interview go to www.delcotimes.com. Search this site for "Weldon WMD". It is located in an article by William Bender, titled "Liberal bloggers riled over Weldon's WMD comments". In this article Charles Duelfer again makes a statement, "I tend to doubt that there would be locations which haven't yet been scavenged or in other ways examined". Duelfer further said, " the four sites targeted by Weldon are worth evaluating if it can be done safely".
The remarks made by Duelfer reflect what Agents like myself faced when we reported suspected sites at the beginning of the war. Does Mr. Duelfer not feel if the sites were already 'scavenged" that it would be in the interest of America to find out what was scavenged, who scavenged them, where the scavengers took them, and what the scavengers intentions with the WMD are? Mr. Duelfer should have understood inspecting WMD sites in Iraq would be dangerous in wartime. Based on these two statements alone verify Mr. Duelfer was not qualified to be in charge of the Iraq Survey Group (ISG).
"I think the jury is still out on WMD," said Weldon, vice chairman of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security committees.I consider "liberal bloggers" ripping into Weldon's statement a hearty endorsement. ;-)
Those comments lit up the liberal blogosphere -- a fund-raising source for Weldon’s Democratic challenger, Joseph Sestak -- and prompted a scathing letter Monday from a veterans group that is backing Sestak’s campaign.
"On behalf of the men and women who have and are currently serving in Iraq, I implore you to stop ignoring the facts just to save face," wrote Jeremy Broussard, an Iraq veteran and senior adviser to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America PAC. "Your continued support for the decision to go to war cannot be justified by ignoring the reality of the overwhelming evidence and espousing conclusions you wish were true."
...
Weldon’s stance on WMDs in Iraq, which clashes with not only Duelfer’s findings but also those of the U.S. commission that examined pre-war intelligence failures, could cost him politically.
While it is not unusual for liberal bloggers to rip into the 10-term Republican incumbent -- they’ve labeled him "Crazy Curt" and "True Whackjob" in recent days -- some are also raising money for Sestak, a retired Navy admiral.
Marking.
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