"But the world isn't like that"

[jbor]

on 17/10/02 9:38 AM, barbara100 at jps.net at barbara100 at jps.net wrote:

> I'm sure your sources are solid, Jbor, or at least they were in 1997.

Nothing's changed with Saddam's regime since then, which is why the
Zilinskas report is so pertinent now. The only thing different is the fact
that no UN weapons inspections have been permitted in Iraq since 1998. So
it's actually Scott Ritter's data and opinion which are way out of date.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2167933.stm

31 July 2002: Richard Butler tells a US Senate committee that Iraq stepped
up the production of chemical and biological weapons after UN inspections
ended - and might even be close to developing a nuclear bomb.

The most disturbing and illogical thing about the "Stop the war" protesters,
that is, apart from the fact that there's currently no actual war to stop,
is that they seem to be totally OK with the prospect of Saddam launching
pre-emptive strikes with his (alleged) weapons of mass destruction, just so
long as no-one else launches a pre-emptive strike to stop him from doing so.

best


>  But 
> can't you find anything more recent?
> 
> How about this? In 2002, striaght from the source's mouth:
> 
> http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0721-02.htm
> 
> "While we were never able to provide 100 percent certainty regarding the
> disposition of Iraq's
> proscribed weaponry, we did ascertain a 90-95 percent level of verified
> disarmament. This figure takes into account the destruction or dismantling of
> every major factory associated with prohibited weapons manufacture, all
> significant items of production equipment, and the
> majority of the weapons and agent produced by Iraq."
> 
> 
>> http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v278n5/ffull/jsc7087.html
>> 
>>  
>> Iraq's Biological Weapons: The Past as Future? by Raymond A. Zilinskas, PHD
>> 
>> [...]
>> 
>> CONCLUSIONS
>> 
>> The Iraq of today is similar to Iraq before the Persian Gulf War: it has the
>> same leader and form of governance, it possesses a large and powerful army
>> and air force, and it is able to deploy a large, well-trained civilian
>> workforce. Its oil reserves are the world's third largest, and the
>> infrastructure for oil exploitation has been rebuilt and is gearing up for
>> full production. As to its geopolitical standing, the same uneasy,
>> distrustful relations exist between Iraq and its neighbors as before; in
>> fact, Iraq's leader may perceive himself as even more beleaguered and as
>> having additional scores to settle. In consideration of this unsettled
>> situation, it is wise to prepare for the possibility of Iraq's trying once
>> again to gain a dominant position in the Middle East.
>> 
>> It is reasonable to assume that, as before, Iraq will attempt to overcome
>> the numerical superiority of regional opponents by resorting to the use of
>> weapons of mass destruction. Iraq's former ballistic and cruise missiles and
>> biological warfare components would be the easiest and quickest to
>> reassemble. How can such disquieting developments be prevented?
>> 
>> The key barrier to Iraq reacquiring weapons of mass destruction undoubtedly
>> is the collective international will that sustains the several United
>> Nations Security Council resolutions designed to ensure a subdued Iraq.
>> 
>> [...]
>> 
>> best
> 
>