The US, The UN and Iraq

Steve wrote:

I don't believe Iraq's illegal weapons programmes are anything other than contained with UN inspectors in the country. If Saddam was to ship drones and chemical agents to other countries with a view to a pre emptive strike, I think we could intercept them before they were used against us. Further that would be a clear hostile act by Iraq and would justify war whether the UAVs were used or not.

Again you miss the point about the drones ----- they would be shipped in small cartons then assembled just before use and it would be an orchestrated joint effort by several cells in any one country. The first time we know about it is after people start to die from chemicals or start to get sick from bio agents.

Another little "Americanism" is this "We call it locking the barn door after the horse has been stolen" Even with inspectors there he can train agents to operate these drones in Iraq with very little effort. The agents return to their cells and wait for the drones to arrive with the chemicals. What if they're already here?

ps Perception please don't read anything into the red type above, I was merely experimenting with a new way of responding to a post, I tried to change the red to a more neutral and less angry colour, but it didn't work!

From CNN, dpa, and other news agencies (more than 8 hours ago):

Steve wrote:

ps Perception please don't read anything into the red type above, I was merely experimenting with a new way of responding to a post, I tried to change the red to a more neutral and less angry colour, but it didn't work!

No need to worry Steve---as you know I am "very cool headed" so the red didn't create a different perception!

Walter

Those are real danger signals--

Does anyone know who supplies the Turks with tanks? Even if they're ours they won't be Abrams ------surely not????


Our guys may get to practice on something besides Russian T-72s.

Perception wrote "The agents return to their cells and wait for the drones to arrive with the chemicals. What if they're already here?"

I don't think they are, but if they are, attacking Iraq would be a sure-fire way of finding out. You have reminded me of something I brought up with my MP last year, but got no response. The year before, 2001, Britain was suddenly subjected to the worst outbreak of cattle foot and mouth disease for many years. It cost us £billions. Now foot and mouth disease is a recognised biological/economic warfare agent, and Iraq has foot and mouth research facilities, ostensibly for control of the disease. But what if....? It does make you wonder if Tony Blair knows something he cannot or will not share with the public at this moment.

Steve

Good point----we have something here called "west nile virus". It is spread by birds and even though it is not ofter fatal most victims have severe neurological damage. It has spread from New York to the Rocky mountains in two years.

BTW---mosquitoes bite the birds and then infect humans----

I've edited this post, because I don't think even the turks would be interested in tanks only fit for a museum.

found this however


from http://www.kurdishobserver.com/2001/02/03/hab04.html

"Turkey had wanted to purchase 1000 Leopard II war tanks outfitted with modern war technological features last year, but the project fell through when the Greens Party partner to the federal government and the public opposed it.

Turkey then set its eyes on purchasing from the US Abrahams tanks equipped with technology from German Leopard IIs and on French Leclerc war tanks. Greens Party Defense Spokesperson Beer warned the US not to sell Abrahams tanks equipped with Leopard technology to Turkey, and Turkey was left with the choice of the French Leclerc tanks. But while it was being reported that France and Turkey were on the verge of agreement over the contract, the dreams of the Turkish state once more were dashed when the French Parliament accepted the resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide. However, while Turkey has canceled a number of agreements in Turkish-French commercial relations, no mention has yet been made of the Leclerc tanks. While it has been noted that Turkey cannot cancel some contracts as it wishes because of the existing customs union agreement between Turkey and the European Union, it has also become clear that, should the Leclerc project fall through, Turkey will take action to purchase the German Leopard II tanks no matter what the cost".

So Leopard II it is then ?

Thanks for the link Steve---I think everyone would agree they would only be target practice for the Abrams. But they will be forced to come from Kuwait!

However in the meantime we would have the A-10 tank killers if needed. I hope Turkey is smart enough to realize they will not be tolerated as friendly if they become provacative.Gen Franks is not very pleased with the Turks right now. They have endangered the lives of thousands of Amercan troops because of their duplicity. Plan B is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination.

BTW---I have been very impressed by Gen Franks. He is just an ole country boy but with a brilliant mind. He is neither impressed with ,nor intimidated by the Washington Press Corps. He is a very quick learner and did learn many valuable lessons as the commander of our forces during the Afghanistan operation

Anybody interested in helping to impeach the president can use the following link. c.i.
http://www.votetoimpeach.org/

This is true, Dyslexia, and we are led by compassionate conservatives. (And you can put ketchup on that and take it to the bank!)

C.I.

Instead of impeaching him, they will probably erect a monument to him.............................

I've learnt that North Korea is no actual thread to the USA, and those momentary problems could be solved diplomatically.

But since the US-Forces are now in that region, since it wont take long to conquer the Iraq, since Iran's Nuclear Threat may be worth to worried at ... well, might Bush enlarge the battle field?

Walt,

North Korea must be dealt with, and it can not be permitted to acquire the delivery systems to deliver a large arsenal of nuclear weapons on the nations on the Pacific Rim. Kim will push and threaten right up to the brink of a hot war, but in the end he will almost certainly intend to back-down. He is playing with fire and a single mis-step could rekindle active hostilities on the Peninsula. The best hope for avoiding that eventuality is for Kim to clearly understand that the United States stands ready and willing to use extreme force to stop his pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Iran is a less urgent problem, and diplomacy may be effective there -- if Iraq and the DPRK are dealt with swiftly and decisively. There are always consequences.

Literary expertise isn't my strong point, but back when I was a student I once got a summer job flying a cropdusting plane in the Kansas City area; those chemicals get dispersed, not dispensed.

"dispense - To deal out or distribute in parts or portions." "disperse - To scatter in various directions; distribute widely." From the American Heritage Dictionary. c.i.

It is quite possible that the momentary silence on the NK problem is the desire on the part of the administration to demonstrate what is in store for NK. Once that is accomplished NK may be more willing to cooperate. Perhaps someone in the administration has been designated to call Kim when the action starts. From his cacoon his perception of reality may be distorted. Pictures may be worth 10,000 words in this case and will not need translation.

"dispense", "disperse"; "toe-may-toe", "toe-ma-toe".

The point is that Saddam has never ceased pursuing terror weapons and the means of delivering delivering them. I suspect that he will order their use on advancing troop formations. We will probably sustain some casualties, but the Iraqi people will be the ones most affected by the use of these weapons. In the past, Saddam used chemical weapons in preparing attacks and his troops generally were equipped to operate in that environment. He also has used chemical warfare to blunt and stop assaults against his forces, even though his own soldiers suffered casualties equal, or nearly equal to the attacking forces.

The effectiveness of the drones might be degraded by the already planned disruption of the Iraqi CCC systems.

Or maybe the momentary silence is due to pressure from Westinghouse?

Hoft wrote

Literary expertise isn't my strong point, but back when I was a student I once got a summer job flying a cropdusting plane in the Kansas City area; those chemicals get dispersed, not dispensed.

I find your claim of being a crop duster at any time somewhat implausible but possible----could you verify that claim with copy of your flight record---I'm sure you have it.