iraq is arming troops with chemical weapons---------But I thought he didn't have WMD

[AR182]

With the approval now that Turkey will let the allies use their country for a northern attack & with what this article states makes me believe that this will be a short war. If our so called allies backed our position. I believe saddam would be out of power now.

UNDERGROUND UNDERMINING SADDAM

By DEBORAH ORIN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



March 18, 2003 -- WASHINGTON - A prominent Iraqi exile yesterday said the anti-Saddam Hussein opposition is already conducting "operations" inside Iraq to try to undermine the regime even before U.S. and allied troops arrive.
"There's underground activity, leaflets, even occasional operations - let's leave it at that. I mean activity to undermine the regime," said Kanan Makiya, who's in close contact with the Bush administration and a leading advocate of democracy in Iraq.

"There's activity in the streets actually every night in Baghdad - even a place that's as controlled and centralized as Baghdad. There are operations going on there, propaganda being disseminated, there are people being encouraged . . . to discourage their sons, their fathers, their cousins from doing anything during the war."

Makiya appeared with senior Pentagon adviser Richard Perle, who said it seems that America is "on the verge of an act of liberation" that can replace Saddam's reign of terror with "a decent and humane" government in Iraq.



Perle rejected suggestions that neoconservative thinkers like himself prodded Bush to go after Saddam, saying the decision is "very much the product of the president's own thinking" and reflects concerns sparked by the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

Makiya, just back from an opposition meeting in northern Iraq, outside Saddam's control, is an MIT-trained architect who teaches at Brandeis University and is working on plans for transition to a democratic Iraq. He wrote "Republic of Fear," an indictment of Saddam.

Makiya told a press briefing there's "virtually zilch morale" among Saddam's henchmen and "we know officers and senior members of [Saddam's] Ba'ath Party are already seeking out safe havens and houses and preparing to get away."


Kosar,

I disagree with you where you say that if we didnot go after iraq there will be little or no chance of saddam using wmd against our country. I think after wearing out the un, saddam could have given a terrorist group a suitcase & a plane ticket to our country.We cannot take that chance. We have to take the action to the terrorists.

Guys lets try to debate without the name calling, it gives this forum more credibility.

 

[AR182]

Here is another reason why this will be a short war.


Monday, March 17, 2003
Iraqi Troops Reported Deserting

As many as 30,000 terrified Iraqi soldiers have already deserted, according to a report in Britain's Sun newspaper. Writing from the U.S. Command Center in Qatar, Sun correspondents George Pascoe-Watson and Simon Hughes reported that intelligence sources estimate that as many as 15 percent of Saddam's army have deserted before a single shot has been fired. A senior British war planner at US Central Command in Qatar told the Sun last night: "Iraqi soldiers are scared out of their wits at what they know is over their borders.They are not stupid. They know if they hang around there?s a good chance of things getting very nasty indeed." The mass desertions fueled the Sun reports by leaflet drops warning Saddam?s men to quit or face death, was uncovered by eavesdropping on military communications. The paper speculated that Saddam may not even be able to rely on his elite Republican Guard. Military planners believe the troops may turn on their generals rather than face the 250,000-strong Allied force.

 

[Kdogg21]

I dont know why Saddam just doesnt take his money and go somewhere else. All he wants is power. Did you know that 60% of the people there are on like a welfare system like us. That doesnt make sense at all. You would think a oil rich country like that would be a hell of alot better off.

 

[gardenweasel]

first off

first off

apologies to kosar....this iraq situation has many of us a little off kilter....i shouldn`t have personalized the argument....rough day yesterday.....appreciate the debate....hopefully,with something as deadly serious as this potential conflict,it is understood that emotions are at fever pitch.....i just read several of the other posts in this thread and some were pretty harsh....with the help of a good night`s sleep,i have hopefully gotten a grip......

 

[hoyt]

By Kosar

Of course they have chemical weapons. I'm not sure that has been refuted by anybody. The thing is, garden weasel, is that there is a good chance they will be used against us now, where as before there was little or no chance of this.

Why do you think Sadam would not use chemical weapons on the United States?? The man is mad, he does not think the way a rational person does. Even if he was not planning to attack the United States with Chemical weapons does it make you feel better that he may use them on his own people or even neighboring countries. Sadam has had plenty of opportunities to comply the UN. He is never going to and is always going to be a threat. At some point he has to be stoped and that time is now.

 

[kosar]

By Kosar



Why do you think Sadam would not use chemical weapons on the United States?? The man is mad, he does not think the way a rational person does. Even if he was not planning to attack the United States with Chemical weapons does it make you feel better that he may use them on his own people or even neighboring countries. Sadam has had plenty of opportunities to comply the UN. He is never going to and is always going to be a threat. At some point he has to be stoped and that time is now.

Garden weasel, no problem.

Hoyt,

Actually I do think there is a good chance he will use them on us in the next few days. And yes, I do feel better about Iraq using them on Iran in 1988 than against *us* on thursday. That's correct.

 

[Snake Plissken]

Come on guys give it a rest. Whats done is done. nothing you nor I can do about it now. All this bickering will drive you to a very bad ending. Lets not forget we have 300,000 + American Soldiers plus our brave allies getting ready to embark on a very dangerous mission. Set political views aside and hope for the best for all troops. Hope for a quick ending and lets get them home.

Well Said neverteaseit :clap:

 

[djv]

You guys can pick on poor Gore all you want. I didn't vote for him. I said that before long time ago when some one tryed to place me over on the far left. Because that would be wrong to. Im just saying we will never know if we would have this war if he had been elected. It's very possiable. Seems the only two presidents we have had with enough problems with Iraq to go to war are named Bush. Hell Reagan helped him. Clinton just bombed the hell out of him for 4 days. So Gore is more like the last two. His name is differant. Maybe he would have just bombed the hell out of him to. We just cant say. As for 9/11. The planning for that attack seems to change when ever questions are asked. Why we did not follow leads that showed it was a possiability. So who knows. I know dam well I dont. And my government does not seem to sure either. So dont say Im smoking rope.