The US, UN & Iraq II

timberlandko wrote:

How about this: Any firm or Nation not shown to have engaged in trade in violation of the UN sanctions on Iraq over the past dozen years should be allowed to compete for available contracts ... would that be satisfactory?

Would work for me.

I think the who-rules-after-the-war question is interesting, but also a little more complicated than the bipolar dilemma it is portrayed as here. Its not just US vs UN. The third option would be to transfer government to a coalition of Iraqi opposition forces asap. An interim solution is only necessary for the hopefully short period in which there are still skirmishes.

The crucial thing with that would be to make sure that Iraqi opposition coalition is as broad as it can be, and not a select few chosen by those in charge of the interim rule. I personally think the UN would be better able to build such a broad coalition than the US, considering the US has allied itself already with select Iraqi groups, namely those that were in favour of this war. But thats just an opinion.

As for the humanitarian aid organisations, perception, my impression was that they're not so much waiting till the coast is clear, but being kept out by the US/British military commanders, who want to do things by themselves, without critical outsiders looking over their shoulders. But more info (links, quotes) would be appreciated.

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perception wrote:

Just heard an unconfirmed report of a discovery of 20 medium range missiles filled with Sarin and Mustard gas ready to fire.

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Nimh, what does the [..] mean in your quote from timber?

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Frolic wrote:

perception wrote:
Just heard an unconfirmed report of a discovery of 20 medium range missiles filled with Sarin and Mustard gas ready to fire.

This report is now fact---you can even hear it on NPR one of your sources.

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Frolic seems to prefer getting his news from Al Jazeera. Perhaps he will finally believe that Saddam had prohibited weapons of terror and weapons systems when the Iraqi Information Minister announces them. Of course, that may not happen until the US/British forces are within, say 25 miles of Baghdad.

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Gelisgesti wrote:

Nimh, what does the [..] mean in your quote from timber?

If there's a "[..]" in any of the quotes I use, it's where I snipped something (left a part out). If there's just "..", it's because there was a ".." in the original post or article ;-)

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Nimh , thank you ..... so many rules .... is there someplace I can look them all up?

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Update: Certtain participants on this thread have received very specific PMs. Further evidence of disregard for the TOS on the part or parts of any or all of these certain members will be met with extreme sanction in timely manner.

As to WMDs:

Quote:

"SITUATION REPORTS - April 07 2003
1720 GMT - U.S. forces near Baghdad have reportedly found a weapons stash of around 20 medium-range missiles equipped with chemical weapons, National Public Radio quotes a source from the 1st Marine Division on April 7. The rockets, BM-21 missiles, were "ready to fire" and contained sarin and mustard gas, but "not just trace elements." The cache was discovered by Marines with the 101st Airborne Division trailing the Army after it seized Baghdad (Saddam) International Airport. Officials at CENTCOM headquarters in Qatar made no immediate comment.

Wire services are carrying reports the earlier find of "Suspect Materials In Barrells" has been confirmed. The nerve agents Sarin and Tabun, as well as Lewisite (a blister agent) are reported to be present in "Large quantity and high concentration". These are, of course, "Early Reports", so there remains "reasonable doubt" at this point. However, the documentation siezed appears to have led to "Interesting" discoveries elsewhere as well. More likely will be heard of this and ensuing developments in the coming hours. Broadcast media are making much of this. Stay tuned.

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Timber, what is TOS?

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Asherman wrote:

Frolic seems to prefer getting his news from Al Jazeera. Perhaps he will finally believe that Saddam had prohibited weapons of terror and weapons systems when the Iraqi Information Minister announces them. Of course, that may not happen until the US/British forces are within, say 25 miles of Baghdad.

Frolic has openly stated that (s)he considers Al Jazeera to be the most trustworthy source for information regarding the Iraq war.

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Term of Service. AS for the supposed discovery of WMD's, let's wait for that all important confirmation before we jump to any conclusions. If it ain't, IMHO that it's only a matter of time. c.i.

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just as advertised.

Last Updated: Monday, 7 April, 2003, 15:00 GMT 16:00 UK
Email this to a friend Printable version
Iraq administrator in waiting
By Adam Curtis
BBC News Online

General Jay Garner is being showered with fanciful titles even before he takes up his new role in life.

President-designate, viceroy, regent and pro-consul - these are exotic and misleading descriptions of the job for which he has been selected - Director of the Pentagon's new Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq.

General Jay Garner
Garner is said to be a good listener
The task confronting the retired military man from Florida is to lead a post-war Iraqi civil administration after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Quite when that work will begin remains a matter of conjecture.

His first scheduled press briefing in Kuwait was postponed on Monday without explanation.

But the mission has already been defined.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2924201.stm

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BillW wrote:

Timber, what is TOS?

Terms of Service

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THANKS !

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Some strange developments.

Quote:

Firefight breaks out in the centre of Nasiriya - it is believed the fighting is between Iraqi groups, possibly between Fedayeen members faithful to Saddam Hussein and people opposed to him.

If the mini coalition doesn't stop this fighting this could become a second phase in the campaign=> A full scale civil war between Shia, Sunni and Kurds. And i dont think Iran, Syria or Turkey will stand on the sideline and watch how their people gets slaughtered or their enemy takes over strategic or important land and oilfields.

Quote:

Polish media say two Polish journalists - named as Marcin Firlej and Jacek Kaczmarek - abducted by armed Iraqis at checkpoint near Hilla, about 130 km south of Baghdad

This would prove the these that the US forces dont have much control over the land they passed on their way to Bagdad.

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frolic, the potential for Iraqi Civil War was widely discussed on this forum a number of times. I think a lot of people see that as a very real possibility. Apart from tribal, ethnic, and religious considerations, there will be much vengance and brigandry ... most troublesome in a spot brimming with available personal weaponry. Only the most stringent of security measures will prevent fragmentation and chaos throughout the region. If violence can be held to comparable level as sayThe Palestine/Israel Debacle long enough to establish an idiginous civil infrastructure charged with a mandate to establish a representative political system and adopt a constitution recognizing and guaranteeing the rights of The People, it just might work. The sooner they have their own cops, courts, and social services, the better.

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Another thing to remember is that vicious thugs who used to be employed by a government are still vicious thugs when unemployed. Saddam had a huge government, and a lot of them are vicious thugs.

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timber, I see a huge problem in trying to set up a viable government plus trying to establish a police force in Iraq. If Afghanistan is any clue as to what we can expect in Iraq, the picture doesn't look too promising. c.i.

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I've just read that all these "chemical weapons" have been found on a "agricultural compound", they had not been weaponized and might simply be pesticides.

I'm only wondering, why everyone seems to know the facts before anything is tested.

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Post-Saddam Iraq ain't gonna be easy, fer sure.

Something to watch for; 4ID will go for Tikrit later this week. Offloading has been phenomenally rapid. Tracked-vehicle transporters have been moving from Kuwait intto Southern Iraq for some time, unobvious among the general crush of materiel flooding forward. while airlift capacity is providing for the troops. Lessons learned by 3ID and The Marines on the way to and in Baghdad should allow the fully digital 4ID to eclipse the performance of units heretofore deployed. 4ID was designed specifically for tactical situations such as Tikrit and to exploit, in this case Northward into the Kurdish Area, opporunities the unit's capabilities will easily force. If it is needed, of course, but it is unlikely a legitimate and acceptable Iraqi surrender would be tendered within the next two or three days.

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The US, UN & Iraq II

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