NP: Iraq

[Jon]

David Morris wrote:
> Well I guess you're an expert.  Tell us the source of you certainty Syria isn't
> hiding Sadaam's weapons.

Just applying Occam's razor, and noting that it is one of many
unsubstantiated claims made by those in whose interests it is to make
such a claim. This makes me sceptical about it, in the absence of
evidence. Conversely, what you have said is "intelligence reports have
said that Sadaam evacuated truckloads of them to Syria" followed by a
request for me prove that this is not true. This indicates a sincere
lack of scepticism one might almost be tempted to call naivety. If it is
proved I will gracefully apologise for doubting Mr Rumsfeld and Co.
Until then I will be treating it like all the other unsubstantiated
claims and counter-claims from professional propagandists to which we
have been subjected over the past months.

To me it seems highly unlikely, but say it were true. Surely the
dispersal of these weapons means that invasion of Iraq on the basis of
securing the WMD threat has been a total failure? How much more likely
are they to fall into the hands of terrorist groups if they have been
trucked out of the country to Iraq's theocratic neighbours? If this is
the case, there is an astonishing lack of concern about it. Tony Blair a
few days ago said that "weapons of mass destruction are not the issue in
Iraq at the moment". It seems to me we are being sold a line here about
the justification for this invasion. 

Jon