Posted on 11/10/2002 10:27:55 AM PST by RCW2001
| The former chief UN weapons inspector made his comments in a “Globes” interview. |
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| Gil Tamari, Washington 10 Nov 02 17:08 |
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| Former chief UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter sharply criticized US President George W. Bush’s intention to attack Iraq. “I don’t fear Iraq, but I fear US policy toward Iraq,” said Ritter in an interview that will be published in the upcoming “Globes” weekend supplement. “Saddam Hussein does not constitute a threat to our [US] national security. He is a terrible man, a brutal dictator who represses his people, but that is not a sufficient reason to sacrifice the lives of American soldiers. Until we have proof that Saddam is threatening US national security, there should be no talk of war.” Ritter says the talk about a possible Israeli retaliation with non-conventional weapons was very dangerous, and the use of such weapons could lead to Israel’s destruction. “There is no better way to ensure Israel’s destruction than its use of nuclear weapons,” said Ritter. “The moment Israel uses its nuclear card, Arab countries will not stop until they get the Bomb and drop it on Israel. If you think a nuclear bomb on Baghdad will prevent Iran from dropping a nuclear bomb on Tel Aviv, you’d better think again.” Ritter believes that the way to prevent Iraq from getting weapons of mass destruction is through an effective inspections regime and not regime change. Commenting on Israel’s concerns about an Iraqi attack, Ritter said, “The idea that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction and would use them against Israel has been disproved. Israel knows exactly the degree to which Iraq’s arms have been dismantled. Israeli intelligence estimated in 1998 that Iraq had no more weapons of mass destruction and that the arms inspection regime was an effective tool. “Even Israel ought to prefer that inspectors return to Iraq, so that weapons will continue to be dismantled. Dismantlement serves Israel’s security interests far more than war. Such a war would be the first step in US aggression that will ignite instability throughout the Middle East. There is no greater threat to Israel than regional instability, which would bring Islamic fundamentalism to power in moderate countries.” Ritter attaches great importance to Friday’s UN Security Council resolution. “It makes it clear to Iraq that the international community is united in its demand to allow inspectors to return.” However, Ritter says, “I am bothered by the US interpretation of the resolution. I am convinced that the Bush administration is determined on regime change in Iraq, and they see the Security Council resolution as a tool that will lead to a military blow. I fear that the administration will use the inspectors as an excuse to go to war.” It should be pointed out that Scott Ritter acknowledged, in an interview with CNN on September 13 this year, that he received $400,000 in funding from a US citizen of Iraqi origin for a documentary film he made about Iraq. Allegations have been brought that the provider of the finance for the film is a Saddam Hussein sympathizer. Ritter himself denies any link between the financing of the film and Saddam Hussein. Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on November 10, 2002 |
BTW, what school do you attend?
Hey Scott, there's a great book you ought to read. It's called the Bible. I've read the back of the book, and ISRAEL WINS!
I agree... is it not clear on it's face, that he is a non registered lobbyist for Iraq and Saddam? Is our law so poorly written that he can hide behind some $400,000 documentary film which I have still heard very little about. Where is the film? Is there $320,000 or more as he says, in the film?
Remember Saddam used to say a brand new Mercedes is cheaper than a tank and that is all it takes to buy a journalist the Arab World.
Follow the propaganda dispensed by Ritter via the media.
Ritter should answer the question, Who comes first in your mind, America or Iraq... or is it a tie?
Thanks for your opinion, Scott. Noted and logged. Perhaps you didn't hear the story about the 15 women who were beheaded on a public street because they spoke out against the government. Saddam MURDERS and TORTURES his own people, Scott, open your eyes.
IMHO, the reason Mr. Ritter fights so hard against the neutralization of Iraq is that, once it occurs, his usefulness as an interview is gone.
What's with this moron?
Not only does he sound like he's in Saddam's pocket, but...
He is contradicting himself about Iraq's WMDs!
D'OH!
If that is the case, what is the point of getting into a lather
over Israeli retaliation? Retaliation for what? Methinks
Ridder has been in the Iraqi pocket for a number of years.
Now, Ritter is doing the exact same thing with his irresponsible statements in this article. Now he's posturing that Iran has nukes. Where's the proof, Scott? Well you can be damn sure that if Iran has them, so does Iraq. And where does Ritter get off saying that Iran has any reason to attack Israel? He is using the exact same reasoning that he has condemned the United States of using against Iraq.
Ritter has proven that he is nothing more than a dime store observer with an expensive foreign payroll, desperately trying to keep his agenda alive in the fleeting moments of his 15 minutes.
Some benighted souls would argue that Ivy League schools are a greater long range threat to the United States than the current oil-financed eruption of global mohammedan jihad; the arming, training and financing of which was carried out by many Ivy Leaguers who were on a peculiar global jihad of their very own. Like to like. You know what I mean?
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