[The Great Satan]

Al-Qaeda dream of WMD, and maybe one day they will get them. But if they had them now, I think they would have used them. The most likely scenario is that Saddam Hussein supplied the 9-11 team just enough anthrax to issue a credible threat, designed to deter any finger-pointing by Washington, and no more than that. Saddam doesn't want to die, and he is a sitting duck for US retaliation. From his standpoint, al-Qaeda are tools, means to an end -- he doesn't want them going off half-cocked and bringing the house down on his own head.

[freeperfromnj]

he doesn't want them going off half-cocked and bringing the house down on his own head.

How much control do you really think Sadam really has over radical Islam? I believe this Islamic jihad is a completely separate fight from Iraq's. As you stated, he probably does see al qaeda as a useful tool and probably did supply them with the anthrax but I see this fight as Islam versus western civilization. They may not have their hands on WMD yet but they do have cells throught the US and they've had nine months to plan. As we have seen, they do not need WMD to carry out an attack.

[DAnconia55]

Al-Qaeda dream of WMD, and maybe one day they will get them. But if they had them now, I think they would have used them.

I keep seeing this. I have seen it for months. But it's still wrong and VERY simplistic - no offense.

Actually put yourself in their shoes.

If a nuke is set off in NYC for example - there will be great damage and death. World economy will tank. But the recovery WILL happen, and WILL happen relatively soon... BECAUSE..

We'll turn many choice sections of the MidEast into glass. No doubt.

So their game is over. No more playing. They let off their 'big' firework - and any Arab nations not OWNED by the US will be working to rediscover fire.

That's not strategic at all, and makes no sense. Some of you keep assuming our enemies are idiots. They have DECADES of combat experience.

Why fire off only one weapon or one attack when you could do something much worse. Imagine European capitals, Russian cities and several American cities in flames.

They aren't playing Jihad to lose. They want WORLD DOMINATION of their theological fascism.

It may very well come down to a MASSIVE invasion of the MidEast - or even limited first strike use of nukes to take out strategic targets.

Regardless of our disagreements with this government - I'd say we're facing something that is scaring the shit out of the powers that be.

We've had rumors here of nukes stopped on our soil, by the good guys. If not true - in time it will be. <

[aristeides]

James Woolsey spoke forcefully for an ME origin of the anthrax yesterday on Wolf Blitzer's Late Edition on CNN, and all the speakers on with him, including Blitzer, seemed inclined to agree with him. Blitzer did ask why all government spokesmen have favored the domestic-origin story. I don't remember anybody giving him a proper answer.