(no subject)

[andrewducker]

Here's a NY Time article entitled Why We Know Iraq Is Lying. It's basic thesis is this:

We know for a fact that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction 5 years ago when they threw out the weapons inspectors. They have been unable to tell us what they did with them, have no record of their destruction, will not allow us unfettered access to their scientists and keep acting in a deliberately difficuly and obfuscatory way. This is not the behaviour of an innocent government.

Now, that's not unreasonable. I'm entirely prepared to believe that Iraq probably has weapons. I'm not prepared to endorse the use of force until I see proof.

If I know you used to have a knife, I never saw you put it down and you're being a smartass who denies everything, does that give me the right to arrest you for carrying a weapon? Especially when frisking you isn't turning it up.

All I want is one instance of a plant producing either chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. These things aren't tiny, they must be findable. Find that one instance and I'm happy for them to go in and kick ass. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Oh, incidentally, I don't like Saddam Hussein one little bit. I think he's (a) mad and (b) has treated the Kurds in an extremely nasty and brutal fashion. I'd be much happier if he wasn't in power and someone more reasonable is. The question, for me, is whether sending in the troops is the right way to help the people of the region.

Comments

[derumi.livejournal.com]

Do you really need a huge lab to produce the chemicals Saddam's been poisoning Kurds (and, I believe, Shi'ite Muslims) with?

[tisme.livejournal.com]

I believe you need a fair sized one to produce it in the quantities necessary without killing all of your scientists/technicians off. But I'm happy to be proved wrong.

[guyinahat.livejournal.com]

I would have thought it would be quite easy to hide a few small plants, given the size of the country. How many covert labs have been found in the UK processing/manufacturing illegal drugs? How many probably exist out there that the police can't find?
I suspect he does have them though, because I can see where Saddam must be coming from on this issue. Everybody hates him. Forgetting for a moment America, what would happen if one of Iraq's neighbours decided to 'liberate' the country, as Iraq did to Kuwait? Iran could just help itself to a chunk of Iraq and no matter how much people condemn it, the world couldn't afford to do without Iran's oil on top of reduced supply from Iraq and Venezuela. Iraq's conventional weapons are crap and he can't use air power in two thirds of his country. Hell, if he gives up all his non-conventional weapons, I might take a flight down there myself and have a go at invading.