Originally posted by JaguarAnd why shouldn't we continue to believe Iraq? >-Jag
This is the same Iraqi government that states one day that they have kept U.S. forces a hundred miles from (formerly) Saddam International Airport, then the next day states they have driven the Americans out of said airport. All the while, TV images of American troops controlling the airport are being broadcast on other networks. I mean, at least if they could lie consistently, I'd have some respect for them.
There is only one man left to save Vince McMahon and the WWF/E. Where have you gone Greg Gagne, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
See here's the thing: We have TV broadcasts that prove that US Soldiers were there. If Bush kept saying, "Well, I'm pretty sure our troops have taken over the airport" but couldn't get anyone to verify it? For days/weeks/months? Then I'd be questioning what the hell is going on.
-Jag
And like I said, I'm pretty sure that Iraq has weapons in violation of the treaty. But when someone asks you why you sent your soldiers to fight and die, "Pretty sure" doesn't cut it in my book.
From the mouth of my uncle Jim, the Republican banker: "I regret voting for Bush." "We need to vote him out of office."
Originally posted by The Vile1Jaguar, doesn't the fact that Iraq used scud missiles early on in this conflict support the fact that they might have illegal weapons of mass destruction? They illegally had scud missiles under UN sanctions and resolutions so if they already lied about scuds they would probably lie about other things. Iraq has proven itself to be untrust worthy in this matter already.
Associated Press reported on March 22 that "Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the vice director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Pentagon news conference that the Iraqis have not fired any Scuds and that U.S. forces searching airfields in the far western desert of Iraq have uncovered no missiles or launchers." I suppose the news channels don't like correcting themselves.
But fret not, true believer!
NBC News NEAR KARBALA, Iraq, April 7 — U.S. Army commanders say they have discovered more than a dozen barrels of chemicals in an agricultural facility 30 miles northeast of here that have tested positive as blister and nerve agents. If that initial analysis is backed up by further testing, it would be the first confirmed seizure by U.S. forces of Iraqi chemical weapons.
Originally posted by wafflekingAssociated Press reported on March 22 that "Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the vice director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Pentagon news conference that the Iraqis have not fired any Scuds and that U.S. forces searching airfields in the far western desert of Iraq have uncovered no missiles or launchers." I suppose the news channels don't like correcting themselves.
While that is true. Missiles that Iraq have fired are in violation of the UN's range limit.
U.S. biological and chemical weapons experts believe they may have found an Iraqi storage site for chemical weapons, a U.S. officer told Reuters on Monday.
Military sources said experts were looking at three 50-gallon barrels and 11 25-gallon barrels found at the site. As well as sarin, they may also have found phosgene, a choking agent that causes fluid buildup in the lungs, he said.
The U.S. news station National Public Radio, reporting what appeared to be a separate discovery, said U.S. forces found a weapons cache of around 20 medium-range missiles equipped with potent chemical weapons.
NPR said the rockets, BM-21 missiles, were equipped with sarin and mustard gas and were "ready to fire."
Do these discoveries justify the war? Would the weapons inspectors have discovered these if given more time?
Let the "debating" begin.
Any man who hates small dogs and children can't be all bad.
NPR is wrong on one point - BM-21s aren't medium-range missiles. They're short-range missiles that are launched from a 40-missile launcher that's embedded on a truck - their effective range is twenty kilometers.
In short, they're not very big missiles, and since Iraq's missile prohibitions only extend to medium and long-range missiles, they were probably allowable.
The drums are another story. I'm interested to see if they're real or if, after a day or so, it turns out they're actually just full of delicious Kool-Aid.
Military sources said experts were looking at three 50-gallon barrels and 11 25-gallon barrels found at the site. As well as sarin, they may also have found phosgene, a choking agent that causes fluid buildup in the lungs, he said.
CNN and Reuters are now reporting that the barrels, after more complete testing, proved negative for the existence of chemical weapons.
For those of you keeping track, that's "smoking gun" number 43 or so proven to be not at all smoking.
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