Ahh, mopp 4 in 113 degree weather can't be all that bad!

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UN Relief Official Visits Looted Facilities in Baghdad
May 30, 2003

"UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Ramiro Lopes da Silva, visited a number of sites around the Iraqi capital this morning, including a food warehouse belonging to the World Food Programme .."

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Ramiro Lopes da Silva, visited a number of sites around the Iraqi capital this morning, including a food warehouse belonging to the World Food Programme (WFP), a power station and sewage treatment plant.

The WFP warehouse and the power plant are under the protection of the coalition forces, which have put a stop to the looting of the facilities, according to a UN spokesman. Even so, technicians have their vehicles and equipment stolen when they go out to repair power lines. Meanwhile in the north of Iraq, a team from the World Health Organization (WHO), along with local officials, delivered two trucks of medical aid worth $43,000 to the Mosul governorate. The shipment included medical supplies, drugs and laboratory items. Items which were supposed to be provided under the UN Oil-for-Food programme.

Dr.spin

I really don't understand the point here. If we had not been prepared for a chemical attack and it happened, what would the press say then? They would be on the attack for not being prepared. It's better to err on the side of safety and good judgement than to worry about the asshat media is certainly going to say. We knew that Saddam had the weapons in the past. He had not complied with the UN inspectors and provided evidence of their destruction. There was evidence that he had mobile labs which have now been found. To assume he didn't have them and wouldn't use them would be stupid.

This whole thing could have been avoided if Saddam had just complied with the UN. And before anybody says he did comply, they should check what Blix and the UN actually said about that. They said that Saddam was not cooperating, and the UN said he had too. Saddam was supposed to not just allow inspectors, but to also assist in the disarming & veerification process. The difference in opinion between the US and the UN (and the press it seems) is that the UN wanted to keep giving second chances ad infinitum while certain European powers were making deals with Saddam.

But I will say one thing about the powers that be in the US. They seem to be unwilling to publicly take a stand and actually say what needs to be said. Stuff like what this Lt. Gen. Conway says is so easily manipulated by the press to mean what it isn't meant to mean.

Grades:

Military: A+
Intelligence: C

We needed better intelligence.

That said, I still think Iraq had WMD, and either dumped it or moved it.

Media expert:
finaly, a rational voice

If there was any chance of a chemical attack or NOT, I, for one, am glad the boys were better off safe than sorry, and It also proves that the risk was very high that it was probable.
The finding of cemical suits for iraqi troops also say it was a plan by saddam.
why else would defensive units have those things
antrophine, chemical suits, if Saddam didn't plan on using them?
It was(is) against the USA signed geneva convention for the USA troops to use chemical weapons, so it seems, from a logical view, difficult to understand why the Iraqi troops needed that kind of protection.

There, hows that for some logic for Mr. Don to chew on

"I really don't understand the point here"

The point was, that Arab news isn't reliable,
The bigger point was the disclaimer,
The biggest point was that I spun it, and nobody checked.

While I can't imagine any other reason for Saddam's refusal to cooperate with inspections other than having the weapons, the chemical suits prove nothing. Iraq has been attacked by Iran with chemical weapons. To not be prepared for such an eventuallity in that region would be stupid.

Spawn,
These were NEW suits, and yaaah, Saddam's biggest concern was IRAN. Right. I can see that as a potentiality if he sold or gave the stuff to one of his 'neighbors', and they turned on him. Hmmmmmm.
I just rejected that. Good reasoning tells me that he was too damned paranoid to give stuff to anybody but his MOST trusted tribal members. OR... We could go on for days.

Maybe they were just rain gear. Iraqi's don't like to get wet

Ah... isn't 20/20 hindsight just wonderful? *sigh*

Well, what do you think the US Army has? Chemical protection suits, equipment to detect and to neutralize chemical agents. Decontamination equipment, trained personel.
Do you really think they want to use chemical weapons? This would be the conclusion Bubba, or you are wrong. Woot. next one.

Do you guys realy 'believe' this was a war? Why then the irakies suddenly all disappeared? And why are there only so few casualities?
This was a war of 'pockets of resistance'. Sporadic fights, mostly unorganized from enemy. They did not even blast the bridges, wich is military BASICS to slow down enemy progress. Saddam himself ordered his troops not to do this, a relative of saddam ordered not to defend Bagdad. All these irakie 'Heroes' missing or presumed dead (without proof of course)
Are you guys really that blind? This 'war' was a bought one. Saddam was not only evil he was also corrupt. Resistance was only shown from a few, and it was very likely not commanded in any way. So this was a show, nothing else. The easy victory was bought from Saddam or his relatives.

This was an easy fight, and it was that easy because Saddam got away with permission. He offered Irak without a real fight, and if not he his relatives for sure. All high commander were relatives from Saddam, and most of them dissapeared and are very likely alive somewhere, maybe even somewhere in the United Staates, covered from the CIA with new names and a new identity.

As i said, Nobody want to know.

Nobodywanttoknow - You, for sure. You have no clue. You asked a bunch of questions, but I assume they were rhetorical - weren't they?