Interesting Interview w/ UN Weapons Inspector

[1985_BMW318i]

“U.S. troops in Iraq will not find any facilities with weapons of mass destruction (WMD). I am sure of that," says a former chemical and biological weapons expert of the U.N. Special Commission (UNSCOM) who remains close to and intimately informed about the recent U.N. arms inspection effort in Iraq. The expert (who requested anonymity) says that Baghdad “most likely” has shut down any WMD operations. He added that any munitions it may still possess “are most likely now in the field and being moved around the country.”
“They (the weapons) could be in railroad cars, barges or refrigerator trucks. They are being kept on the move,” explained the former arms inspector. The arms expert says by keeping the weapons on the move, they make an attack by coalition forces more difficult. Furthermore, he explained they could be shifted around the country as “conditions warrant.”

The Pentagon has repeatedly complained to the U.N. about suspected bio agents being shuffled around Iraq in “refrigerator vans.” Chief U.N. arms inspector Dr. Hans Blix told the Security Council in February that his teams “had been unable to track down the refrigerator vans in question.”
The U.N. inspector says that the Pentagon must be careful not to fall into an Iraqi trap. He suspects that the movement of substantial numbers of Iraqi Republican Guard units southwards from Baghdad to confront advancing U.S. forces may be an attempt to create a battlefield situation favorable to the use of weapons of mass destruction. “If Iraq still has chemical weapons it wants to use,” he says, “it would want to cause as much damage as possible in one short attack. Therefore, the U.S. needs to be careful not to amass large numbers of troops in any central location.” The most likely attack, he says, would come from more than "800 unaccounted for 155mm artillery shells which may contain mustard gas.”

However, says the U.N. inspector, “the Iraqis have problems delivering their WMD in a militarily effective manner.” He reveals that more than 70% of Baghdad's declared and suspected WMD were in “aerial” form—meaning they were designed to be delivered by aircraft. Since Operation Desert Storm, the Iraqi Air Force has almost ceased to exist. The U.N. inspector also added that any biological weapons that Iraq might still possess would “not cause much of a problem for the U.S. forces.” He explained that the Pentagon is familiar with most or all of Baghdad's suspected bio weapons and has procedures to protect its soldiers against such an attack.

He added that Iraq's exotic weapons programs also involved the use of psycho-tropic agents similar to LSD. “They were not meant to kill, just incapacitate, confuse,” says the inspector. This had been designed, he says, as a means to fight off rag-tag Iranian forces in the late 1980’s during the long war between Baghdad and Tehran. The other WMD weapons Iraq may still have were initially designed to “fight off Iranian human wave attacks, they really weren't meant against a force like the U.S. military.”

He adds that biological weapons in this war at this time are of little use. Iraq’s suspected bio-weapons (anthrax, botulism) take days to weaken the human body and would do little to blunt a fast moving force. He also says coalition troops have biological and chemical weapons detectors and decontamination units in the field, making it tough for bio-weapons to be much of a factor.

“My guess is that the probability of a WMD attack is small,” says the UN official. “Right now, Saddam has 80% of the world supporting him. If he used WMD, that support would dissolve. So, he has no incentive. Even if he did, it would not cause enough damage to change anything. About the only thing he may accomplish is to scare you reporters.”

[taranaki]

The Pentagon has repeatedly complained to the U.N. about suspected bio agents being shuffled around Iraq in “refrigerator vans.” Chief U.N. arms inspector Dr. Hans Blix told the Security Council in February that his teams “had been unable to track down the refrigerator vans in question.”

got to love that bit.

Another case of wanting it both ways,we'll complain to the U.N.,but ignore the U.N. when it suits us.

And the refrigerated vans?They don't exist outside of the minds of the Pentagon.There's no earthly reason why Saddam wouldn't have used chemical wepons already if he had them.

[1985_BMW318i]

And the refrigerated vans?They don't exist outside of the minds of the Pentagon.There's no earthly reason why Saddam wouldn't have used chemical wepons already if he had them.

Well this Weapons Inspector obviously knows more about it.

“They (the weapons) could be in railroad cars, barges or refrigerator trucks. They are being kept on the move,” explained the former arms inspector. The arms expert says by keeping the weapons on the move, they make an attack by coalition forces more difficult. Furthermore, he explained they could be shifted around the country as “conditions warrant.”

[rsxer45]

Originally posted by taranaki
There's no earthly reason why Saddam wouldn't have used chemical wepons already if he had them.

Maybe Iraqi knows that if they use WMD, they would figuratively be cutting their throats at the court of world opinion. I would think that Iraq would want to make the US gov't look as evil and corrupt and possible, and by not releasing WMD they might suceed. But certainly an Iraqi release of WMD would not rally world support. It would only prove what the US has been saying all along. I think Hans Blix in a MSNBC interview said someting along these lines as well. For me personally, whether or not Iraq will use chem weapons is a toss up. I can see why he would and I can also see why he wouldn't. I hope he doesn't.

[taranaki]

Saddam knows that regardless of what happens,the U.S. is going to depose him.What incentive does he have to bow to world opinion?He hasn't used them because he doesn't have enough of them to influence any outcome.The U.S.looks more foolish every day that they press deeper into Iraq without finding them.

[rsxer45]

Originally posted by taranaki
Saddam knows that regardless of what happens,the U.S. is going to depose him.What incentive does he have to bow to world opinion?He hasn't used them because he doesn't have enough of them to influence any outcome.The U.S.looks more foolish every day that they press deeper into Iraq without finding them.

Even if Saddam knows he's not going to come out of this war, what would be a better parthian shot then rallying the world against the US before Saddam dies? Maybe Saddam is thinking, "If Im going down, I might as well take the US with me." And that would probably work if the US doesn't find any WMD in Iraq at least in the Arab world. That's just my opinion..

[taranaki]

The only person taking America down in the eyes of the world is George W Bush.If Saddam were as armed and dangerous as George claims,he'd have used chemical weapons by now.SO EITHER HE'S NOT THAT WELL ARMED, OR HE'S NOT THAT DANGEROUS.


or both.

which would kind of spoil Bush's excuses.

but what the hell,by the time Bush is proven to be wrong,he'll have control of Iraq anyway.

[rsxer45]

Originally posted by taranaki
The only person taking America down in the eyes of the world is George W Bush.

I hope your not implying that the whole world sees things as you do.....

[Jay!]

Source, please?

[Prelewd]

Taranaki, do you believe Saddam is a threat to his own people?

[1985_BMW318i]

While it should be blatantly obvious I do not think Naki supports Saddam. I think Naki is clearly antiwar. While I doubt we'll ever agree on the subject of War or President Bush I do respect his feelings and thoughts. Sometimes the debates get overheated. After all the threads that Naki and I have debated each other in it boils down to a couple things that I feel strongly about
1. Was this War Justified, I believe so but he doesn't
2. Is President Bush a legal leader of the US. Yes he is but not in Naki's point of view.
3. Is War ever justified? I think so but Naki is more of a peaceful man that would rather take a diplomatic approach. Fortunately being from another country he cannot run for President of the US :frog:

I certainly am not debating on his behalf but simply saying that we all obviously have at least one thing in common, An extraordinary affection for Cars.

Naki don't take this personally but I still think your wrong and I'm right but thats why we have this OT section were everyone can get ideas and thoughts out.