[Scott from the Left Coast]

There's a lot of interesting information here, but there are pieces that don't quite add up. Even assuming a high level of cooperation between Iraq and Iran, what does Iraq get out this? I can see why Iran thinks this is a good deal (ostensibly not being the target, they would receive, in effect, Sadaam's last-will-and-testament bequeath of WMD material and knowledge). What's in it for Sadaam? If he's dead anyway, and there is a new power in Iraq, all he's done is given Iran a bunch of resources.

For Iran to cooperate with WMD's, or in a WMD first strike, they'd then open themselves up to the same retaliation that will be falling swiftly upon Baghdad. Do they want to get nuked too?

As I say, there's a lot of interesting stuff here, but it all doesn't tie together very effectively. Which makes one think that the writer may be taking some raw intelligence haul and putting the wrong interpretation on it.

[efnwriter]

You are correct in that this is a possible scenario - an interpretation. I certainly have no personal information on Saddam's plans. However, the conclusions are based on real time data and Saddam's history as well as one very important fact: Saddam knows he will be attacked and knows he will lose on the defensive. From basic small unit tactics to great military minds like Clausewitz, Sun Tzu and Rommell - the soldier who sits and waits loses. The soldier who picks the time,place and battle scenario has the best chance to win.

There is more information I have that is not in the article because I could not confirm it - for instance that Saddam has met with Syria to try to get Syria to join him and to coerce Egypt and other Arab states onto his scheme.
As far as Iran goes - the facts are indisbutable that truck convoys from Saddam's main WMD factory (100's of trucks) went to those caves in Iran. Those caves are heavilly retrofitted and built to be nuke proof. The limited success of mountain operations in Afghanistan shows the effectiveness of using high mountain lairs even against the US.

There is certainly some collusion going on.
Iraq gets their WMD factory preserved and Iran's support by giving them the technology. As you said, Saddam may well want his "legacy" to be the continuation of his WMD programs in the hands of the Ayatollahs . Remember, Iran's people are young and pro -Western, their government is fundamentalist and hanging on by a thread. Saddam's defeat will tip the political balance of power in the region and seriously threaten the Ayatollas in Iran.

Regardless, I appreciate the excellent responses and comments and continue to learn more every day.

Jonathan

http://efreedomnews.com

[JimSEA]

The most interesting thing here is that Russia is aligning itself with both Iran and Iraq. This supplies some cover to both south Asian countries amd gives Russia the sea routes it has long wanted. The EU is hopeless. The ball is clearly in Bush's court with no good or clear options from a "realpolitic" point of view.

In the longer view, Putin has more to fear from Islamists than from us but he seems fixated on the short term.