Iraqi Scientists Threatened With Death if They Cooperate With U.N. Inspectors

abc News ^ | February 10, 2003 | By Christopher Isham and Brian Ross

[Arkie2]

This can't be true. The Hollywood left assures us these guys are being completely honest when they talk to inspectors and we shouldn't be trying to intimidate them into lying about their country.

[UncleSamUSA]

The fact that Iraq is intimidating and pressuring its scientists to not cooperate with the UN is not all that surprising. What is surprising to me is the source of this article: ABC news. The news organization most in sympathy with the anti-War left and most suspicious of US motives.

Now they are agreeing with a prime US contention that Iraq's scientists are fearful of telling the UN what is really going on in the WMD program. Interesting.

I will watch part of the ABC newscast tonight (as tough as that is going to be for me to watch Peter Jennings, the prime idiot) and see if this is featured there.

[coloradan]

You would think that even a liberal could understand that if Iraq threatens death to those scientists who would attempt to cooperate with the UN, it means they are hiding something they don't want us to learn - which is on its face evidence of material breach, and therefore, let's roll. But noooooooooooooooo.

[r9etb]

Reported by ABC news, no less.

No big surprise, but it's nice to see them reporting on it.

One scientist who met with the inspectors this week was so frightened, it took an hour for him to stop shaking, according to U.N. sources.

I assume this to be true. France and Germany have got to be in Saddam's pocket in some manner.

[Toskrin]

I doubt there is anyone in Iraq who does not know of the horrors of the Butcher of Baghdad. When our tanks fill their streets, all they will have to say is "What took you so long?"

[Arkie2]

Aviation Week and Space Technology ran an article a few weeks ago telling how Germany and Sweden have sold earth boring machinery to Iraq since the gulf war. According to the article, these machines are a quantum leap over anything that existed previously. Using them Saddam has managed to dig tunnels far underground that are totally impervious we have short of nukes. I'm sure the Germans are in far deeper than just selling earth borers. They built all Saddam's bunkers before the Gulf War. They're quite happy to help any enemy of Israel apparently.

As for the French they have huge oil contracts with Saddam that they will lose if he gets kicked out. That and they're just perverse beyond all reason.

[CedarDave]

The lamestream press starting to report this?? Let's see if it makes the evening news or if it is only limited to the web site and the overnight coverage (2-5 a.m. depending on time zone). Please report if Jennings covers this tonight.

(BTW, Jennings is coming to Albuquerque on Thursday [unless the balloon goes up before then] to appear on the local p.m. newscasts; the local dears are so excited they can hardly keep from p**ing in their pants when they announce it on the local news.)

[BigBobber]

According to the Iraqi, many of the scientists involved in the weapons of mass destruction program are housed with their families at a secret compound in downtown Baghdad.

This can't be good. As soon as the war turns against Iraq, I predict all these scientists will be killed by Saddam's henchmen. Their deaths will be blamed on U.S. bombs.

Old Iraqi saying: "Dead men tell no tales".

[CedarDave]

Indeed, it would be very sad to see that, but in Iraq they and their families are probably "dead men walking" anyway. However, there should be lots of other evidence around; its doubtful that they can destroy it all.

[Verginius Rufus]

The blonde bimbo on one of the TV talk shows this morning (it may have been Katie Couric) was interviewing an Iraqi woman scientist who reportedly masterminded Iraq's creation of its WMD. She assured the bimbo that the weapons were initially created as a "deterrent" but they no longer have them, and the bimbo seemed to believe everything she was told.

[Keith]

hilarious.

[demnomo]

The bimbo was Diane Sawyer who wants desperately to believe that President Bush is solely responsible for the evil in this world and that Saddamn Hussein's scientists are all just working on improving baby milk factories.

[Starrgaizr]

That isn't the point. The left assumes that Iraq DOES have WMD. Its position is, "big deal." Ridding Saddam of WMD isn't worth war. Heck, it isn't worth sanctions. Can't we all just get along and let Saddam have what he wants so we don't need to fight?

That is the true position of the left. The rest is just denial and window dressing so they don't look quite as foolish to their fellow enablers.

[Arpege92]

Do you think the United States would turn Saddam and his sons over to the Iraqi people to exact revenge? Even better than that....turn Saddam and his sons over to the Iraqi women who's family members have been murdered by this dictator.

Like Archie Bunker said....Hell hath no fury like a woman's corns!!!!

[Lady In Blue]

Bumping for a later read.

[upchuck]

I am so looking forward to the hundreds (thousands?) of "I told you so" moments we'll enjoy once we liberate Iraq and begin mapping all the WMDs.

[Mo1]

One scientist who met with the inspectors this week was so frightened, it took an hour for him to stop shaking, according to U.N. sources.

I assume this to be true. France and Germany have got to be in Saddam's pocket in some manner.

France and Germany should also be held accountable if anything happens to these people

[upchuck]

I am so looking forward to the hundreds (thousands?) of "I told you so" moments we'll enjoy once we liberate Iraq and begin mapping all the WMDs.

Plus... all the torture chambers, prisons, mass graves, etc.