In December 2002, Russia’s Middle East envoy, Yevgeny Primakov (former Russian Intelligence Chief), flew to Baghdad under the front of making one last chance for peace with the dictator. As soon as his plane landed, it was allegedly loaded with “sensitive materials” and flown directly to Belarus. People speculate as to whether or not it was WMD, WMD equipment, documents, people, or things the Russians didn’t want the US to get their hands on, but in any event…the plane was loaded with things the US wanted. He also allegedly brought Russian GPS jammers to confuse American satellite-guided bombs, night vision goggles, special anti-tank missiles, and Russian advisors.
American forces found the jammers, and that’s no secret since the Air Force was happy to boast that the jammers were ineffective (USAF just boosted the signal from their satellites so that it was “louder” than those from the jammers).
Syria and Russia both sent night-vision sights and goggles to Iraq, and they were recovered by American forces.
The anti-tank missiles did stop an Abrams tank and kill its crew. Others reportedly were ineffective, but evidence of their use is indisputable given the unique signature that their shaped charge left on the tanks that were hit.
Two Russian Generals, Gen. Vladimir Achalov, a former commander of airborne and rapid-reaction forces, and Gen. Igor Maltsev, a leading expert in air defense systems were reported in Baghdad up until 6 days before the war. During their “visit” they were photographed being given medals by Iraqi Defence Minister Sultan Hashim Akhmed. Other smiley photographs include the two Russian Generals standing with head of the General Staff of the Iraqi Army Izzat Ibragim between them. Upon their return to Russia, the generals were asked why they went on a “last-chance” diplomatic mission. They replied, “We didn’t fly to Baghdad to drink coffee.” One wonders if all the elements of the story were proven true, could the claim of “special weapons” being moved out be less true than the other elements?
Immediately after the arrival of the Russians in Baghdad, retired USAF Lt Gen. James R Clapper Jr-then head of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency-monitored an increasing flow of traffic and communication from Iraq to Syria. Former head of the UN’s WMD inspection group, UNSCOM, Richard Butler, was asked to review the imagery. He agreed that Iraq appeared to be moving weapons out of Iraq, but did not think that “the Iraqis wanted to give them to Syria, but…just wanted to get them out of the territory, out of range of our inspections.” Syria was prepared to be the custodian of them.” The entire idea was nearly identical to when Saddam sent his entire air force to Iran for safe-keeping during Desert Storm.
Israeli intelligence (flush with human intelligence sources in the region-particularly in Syria, and Lebanon) reported that the increased traffic was Saddam’s repositioning of WMD to Syria. On December 23, 2002, Ariel Sharon stated on Israeli channel 2 television, "Chemical and biological weapons which Saddam is endeavoring to conceal have been moved from Iraq to Syria.” About three weeks later, Israel’s foreign minister repeated the accusation. The U.S., British, and Australian governments issued similar statements.
Opponents to the war like to point to the 1000+ pages of the Duelfer Report and summarize it as “NO WMD,” but there’s a lot more to Moby Dick than 5 letters. Not even an elementary school student would dare turn in a 5-letter book report on Melville’s epic. Similarly the ISG’s report contains a lot more than just “NO WMD.” It is a resounding verification that, yes, there was a great deal of ‘something’ secreted out of Saddam’s Iraq into Syria. While the ISG doesn’t claim that it was in fact WMD in those trucks, it does leave that door open because of the clandestine nature and the assembly areas for the convoys that left Iraq for Syria would be consistent with WMD, WMD equipment, documentation, and even personnel.
Given that there is so much evidence that Saddam’s illegal weapons, programs, documents, and equipment existed and were moved rather than did not exist and were destroyed, it seems that logic has turned. There’s simply more evidence it was moved than there is any evidence of WMD destruction. Yet, the debate from those who oppose prefers to ignore evidence and pretend that fictional evidence of destruction exists. That door to reality is creaking open for the opposition, and as such it’s no wonder that the anti-war movement is shattering, the Democratic Party is spinning, and opponents to the war are confused.
First part here.
Author of “Reparations and America’s 2nd Civil War
Reparations and America’s 2nd Civil War: Malensek, Scott: 9798864028674: Amazon.com: Books
While millions of people marked the first anniversary of the invasion of Iraq this week by protesting against war on Saturday, President Bush marked the event in a different way: joking about how no weapons of mass destruction were found.
At a black-tie dinner for Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association on Wednesday, Bush poked fun at himself and his administration for among other things not finding weapons in Iraq.
At one point Bush showed a photo of himself looking for something out a window in the Oval Office. He said: “Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be somewhere.”
After a few more slides, there was a shot of Bush looking under furniture in the Oval Office. Bush said “Nope. No weapons over there.” Then another picture of Bush searching in his office. He said “Maybe under here.”
According to the Nation’s David Corn many of the journalists at the dinner laughed throughout the skit.
But the Daily News is reporting that the families of soldiers killed in Iraq are not laughing.
Wow, now that is some research. Pasting a article on a ROAST in which past Presidents have attended and made fun of themselves for years.
Kudo’s to that awesome research.
Sigh….
Bad joke/botched joke. Politicians do it.
Of course, the point was really that there were many reasons for the war in Iraq, and simple-minded opponents too often envision wars as an action/reaction type of game. They’re not that at all. Wars-even WWII-are set in motion over a myriad of reasons. The invasion of Iraq/conclusion to America’s war with Saddam is no different. It was merely the final flicker of flame tossed on a pile of kindling that had built up for years.
Actually, I don’t think it was a bad joke. Once again no context is provided by a lefty. This dinner has always had Presidents and dignitaries making fun of themselves:
Wikipedia being wikipedia they only highlight Bush’s visits, but here are Clintons in 1999, 1997, 1995, and 1994.
Teapot is just ignoring the post, ignoring the information, ignoring the facts and is instead posting a news account of an event in which dignitaries traditionally poke fun at each other and themselves.
Some deep analysis there.
Sorry. Thought everyone knew Bush said (on Oct 7, 2004): “Iraq did not have the weapons that our intelligence believed were there.”
http://www.public-action.com/911/no-wmd-sdut/
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Yet Bush and Cheney acknowledged more definitively than before that Hussein did not have the banned weapons that both men had asserted he did — and had cited as the major justification before attacking Iraq last year.
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Bush has recently left the question open. For example, when asked in June whether he thought such weapons had existed in Iraq, the president said he would “wait until Charlie (Duelfer) gets back with the final report.”
In July, Bush said, “We have not found stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction,” a sentence construction that kept alive the possibility that the weapons might yet be discovered.
Yesterday, Bush used the clearest language to date nailing the question shut. “Iraq did not have the weapons that our intelligence believed were there,” he said, his words placing the blame on U.S. intelligence agencies.
——
http://www.ontheissues.org/International/Rick_Santorum_War_+_Peace.htm
Q:The president has accepted the report of his two task forces which said, “Iraq did not have the weapons our intelligence believed were there.”
SANTORUM: There were all sorts of weapons that our intelligence believed were there. So far we have not found any new weapons. But we have found over 500 old chemical weapons.
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Sorry if this is double-posted again.
“At a black-tie dinner for Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association on Wednesday, Bush poked fun at himself and his administration for among other things not finding weapons in Iraq.”
Your right, Bush did that.
Bush Makes Jokes About Lack Of WMDs In Iraq
March 25, 2004
WASHINGTON — President George W. Bush poked fun at his staff, his Democratic challenger and himself Wednesday night at a black-tie dinner where he hobnobbed with the news media.
Bush put on a slide show, calling it the “White House Election-Year Album” at the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association 60th annual dinner, showing himself and his staff in some decidedly unflattering poses.
There was Bush looking under furniture in a fruitless, frustrating search. “Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be somewhere,” he said.
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/2948657/detail.html
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm…….March 25, 2004?
Oh, Prime Minister Tony Blair just finished shaking hands with Gadhafi and praising the Libyan leader for giving up his WMD program on 25th of March 2004.
http://www.warmafrica.com/index/geo/10/cat/1/a/a/artid/504
Hmmmm……I wonder if Saddam’s WMD in Gadhafi’s U-Store Storage?