The radio news is now saying that Iraqi fighter aircraft have penetrated the southern no-fly zone, and shot down a drone reconnaissance aircraft . . .
As far as a psychopath, I do along with the interpretation that this is someone who can't operate or perform within any social structure where the sociopath can, even though it has been pointed out that they are nearly synonyms and have been recently mulled together. The psychiatric community is still skirting around the issue of whether or not these people are legally sane.
Saddam does fit into the traditional structure of the ruling classes in the Middle East (and other parts of the world for that matter). It's difficult to break into that mold and show a different way -- democracy. He's feigned democracy but it's as transparent as Saran Wrap what his agenda actually has been.
Hmm, wonder if shooting down a drone would be an act of war?
Somewhere in these threads, it was questioned whether the no-fly zone surveillance is part of a U.N. resolution. He's really getting close to sticking his hand in the fire, yet obviously testing his position.
LW, the No Fly Zones are not "MANDATED" by any Resolution. However, they are "Authorized" by the cease-fire terms of '91 and by the original UNR 688. Their purpose is to prevent Sadaam from employing Air Assetts against his own indiginous irritants. They are "Agreed Upon" as to terms and conditions by The US, GB, France, and Iraq. Well, Iraq doesn't "Agree", but is signatory to the documents establishing the zones, and has certain rights under the agreement.
timber
Thanks, timber -- that's what I had figured but wasn't immediately available from the ole grey cell files. So Saddam has violated the cease fire only according to us but not according to him.
Which of course, leaves the UN . . . and i take that to mean that we will be treated to a good deal of hand-wringing and "oh dears" and posturing . . . and i take it to mean that the Shrub will try to get the most mileage out of such an incident . . .
How US might counter 'scorched-earth' tactics
The worry is that a desperate Hussein may set oil fields aflame and gas his own citizens as last stand.
By Brad Knickerbocker | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
As the drums of war in Iraq beat louder, US officials are preparing for the worst-case scenario: Saddam Hussein escalates to "scorched-earth" tactics, possibly in conjunction with terrorist attacks in Europe and the US by such like-minded although unofficial allies as global terror ring Al Qaeda.
http://csmonitor.com/2002/1223/p03s01-usmi.html
Setanta wrote:Which of course, leaves the UN . . . and i take that to mean that we will be treated to a good deal of hand-wringing and "oh dears" and posturing . . . and i take it to mean that the Shrub will try to get the most mileage out of such an incident . . .
Setanta
Didn't you mean Cheney in place of "shrub"))))))
this may be far reaching on my part but is there the possibility that the re-activation of the reactors in N.Korea are related to whats happening in Iraq?
dyslexia, I too find the N. Korean developments troublingly more than coincidental, and wholly in keeping with N. Korea's renowned diplomatic finesse and subtlety.
I brought this up in another thread a bit before 6:00 PM CST this evening
http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=893&start=200
Look for much further Media attention to, and Government assurance of, our ability to wage two wars simultaneously.
timber
Yes, chance coincidence seems a bit unlikely. NK is not in promising financial straits and it could be a ploy for god knows what at a time when Kim thinks he's more likely to get it. And, of course, this might well be on a "Things To Do" list in Sadaam's desk.
Ah--Cmon--guys, couldn't we have just one little nuke down the chimney of Jong II? As a favor to me. I've had enough of being a pacifist)))))))
Sure, what the hell, we've got far more than we need and storage isn't getting any cheaper these days. Go ahead.
Talk of substantial upgrading of U.S. Assets currently in the Korea/Japan region would be a most disturbing sign. Damn! The trouble with World Wars is that they have become so ... so ... GLOBAL!
timber
Hegemony...it's like my first marriage - oozing with optimism, pregnant with promise, but oh, so much much more than I'd bargained for. Still, ya gotta like a country that thinks big. Doncha?
Do we?
The Old Rummy at Defense if saying we can fight a war on two fronts . . . i'm sure the Japanese are just delighted. Korea is such a beautiful country: rugged mountains, pretty little Buddist temples hidden away here and there among the remaining stands of trees--in the northern part of South Korea, there were few trees over 8 or 10 feet tall--i was there just 20 years after the war, and everything on the ridge tops had been blasted to gravel in the early -50's. They've just only had time to recover from that last war--not even 50 years ago. I always liked the Korean people, as well--those clowns in the north have got tactical nukes, of that i have no doubt . . .
Yes, Perception, to me, the Shrub and Cheney are interchangeable terms--the one being the puppet of the other. I'm sure you do not subscribe to that notion, so i appreciate that you're exercising a sense of humor without rancor . . .
To all, my thoughts are often with friends, including those whose faces i've not ever seen. I'll be flying off to Canadia this afternoon (boy, will my arms be tired), so i'll probably be off-line for a couple of days. May you all have the best of holidays . . .
I'm apparently following Setanta through the threads with my (much more cedar-odiferous) greetings....merry christmas all.
Steve
The geneneral 'we' I can't address. The specific 'steve'...will your server allow a really big file?
