BAGHDAD
Explosions heard. Sirens (briefly) in the Green Zone. Channel-switching doesn't do a thing--commercials abound.
by Max
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Location--South Waziristan
Ayman Al-Zawahiri is considered a more important "catch" as he is the one suspected of being in charge of operations. Highly intelligent, he may be the "brains" of AQ. No one knows who or what is being defended. The location is so remote that there are no reporters in the area.
Al-Zawahiri has been involved in AQ for a long time. If we got Bin Laden, the operations would continue. If Al-Zawahiri is captured or killed, it is more likely that operations would slow down, as soon as they ran out of the current plans.
Watching the news on this type of thing is usually exciting and hopeful. It also can(usually) turn out to be nothing. A very senior Pakistan official is saying that a very senior AQ is surrounded. The hope continues!
Ayman Al-Zawahiri is considered a more important "catch" as he is the one suspected of being in charge of operations. Highly intelligent, he may be the "brains" of AQ. No one knows who or what is being defended. The location is so remote that there are no reporters in the area.
Al-Zawahiri has been involved in AQ for a long time. If we got Bin Laden, the operations would continue. If Al-Zawahiri is captured or killed, it is more likely that operations would slow down, as soon as they ran out of the current plans.
Watching the news on this type of thing is usually exciting and hopeful. It also can(usually) turn out to be nothing. A very senior Pakistan official is saying that a very senior AQ is surrounded. The hope continues!
MSNBC--Fighting going on between Pakistani forces against local tribesmen, Talaban/AQ who may be defending someone (suspected of being the "high-value" target. Might be some coordination between Special Forces and Pakistan Forces for intelligence purposed. They are talking Al-Zawahiri, who son was captured a few weeks ago. Ayman Al Zawahiri is suspected to be the one who moves around.
PAKISTAN--FIERCE FIGHTING
In the past two days, there has been fierce fighting going on in Pakistan. Speculation is rampant. The assessment is that the fighters are defending a "high value" target. What? Who? Well, we don't know yet, as usual.
Because the fighting has been increasingly fierce, media pundants are going wild. CNN: "Pakistani Pres.: "High-value Al Qaeda Target Possibly Surrounded.
AP: (Apparently saying) They suspect it's the second in command.
In the past two days, there has been fierce fighting going on in Pakistan. Speculation is rampant. The assessment is that the fighters are defending a "high value" target. What? Who? Well, we don't know yet, as usual.
Because the fighting has been increasingly fierce, media pundants are going wild. CNN: "Pakistani Pres.: "High-value Al Qaeda Target Possibly Surrounded.
AP: (Apparently saying) They suspect it's the second in command.
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
APPEASEMENT DIDN'T WORK IN WWII, either
The appeasement which so amuses the French may not be so funny when played by the Spaniards. For Spain, in concert with America and France, shared the watch of North Africa. And since that is where many Al Qaeda have moved, as the Madrid train bombing carried out by North Africans proves, Europe will find their relative danger increased far more greatly than the Americans, who can comfortably lose the Spanish contingent in Iraq. The loss of a solid Spain, while an annoyance to America is a catastrophe for Europe. Iraq is far from America but Spain is close to France.
(belmontclub.blogspot.com)
The appeasement which so amuses the French may not be so funny when played by the Spaniards. For Spain, in concert with America and France, shared the watch of North Africa. And since that is where many Al Qaeda have moved, as the Madrid train bombing carried out by North Africans proves, Europe will find their relative danger increased far more greatly than the Americans, who can comfortably lose the Spanish contingent in Iraq. The loss of a solid Spain, while an annoyance to America is a catastrophe for Europe. Iraq is far from America but Spain is close to France.
(belmontclub.blogspot.com)
Sunday, March 14, 2004
SOCIALISTS WIN
Well, it looks like the Socialists won in Spain. That is sad. Thanks for the help, we did appreciate it. Sorry it turned out this way. I cannot help but feel that the score is Aznar's Party 0; Socialists 0; Terrorists 1.
Wish you hadn't caved. (Guess it's too much to hope for a Dewey/Truman result, isn't it?)
Well, it looks like the Socialists won in Spain. That is sad. Thanks for the help, we did appreciate it. Sorry it turned out this way. I cannot help but feel that the score is Aznar's Party 0; Socialists 0; Terrorists 1.
Wish you hadn't caved. (Guess it's too much to hope for a Dewey/Truman result, isn't it?)
NEWT
Newt Gingrich is on the TV warpath concerning the UN Oil-for-food Program. Apparently, there are billions unaccounted for and Newt is promoting an investigation to find out what happened. Some 50 Billion Dollars is the question; where is it is another question. No answers, yet.
There should be more information somewhere on the WEB. I need to see what the full story is, according to Newt.
Newt Gingrich is on the TV warpath concerning the UN Oil-for-food Program. Apparently, there are billions unaccounted for and Newt is promoting an investigation to find out what happened. Some 50 Billion Dollars is the question; where is it is another question. No answers, yet.
There should be more information somewhere on the WEB. I need to see what the full story is, according to Newt.
PYRAMID
"I somewhere read that the truth is like a pyramid. Some chose to believe that the only truth is the side that is in front of them when in fact the truth is the whole pyramid." (Nadia)
The pyramid idea is interesting; and, I agree, too. The problem seems to be that there are so many factors/people/countries/organizations putting obstacles in the way of a person making the trip around all sides of the pyramid. It’s a very difficult trip.
While we are trying to decide the truth, Hans Blix will be telling his side on CNN (Monday at 8pm.)
Newt Gingrich is telling his version of UN activities.
The Spaniards will be deciding their future in today's elections.
Europe is tightening security.
One thing is clear. This is world-wide; and, the world needs all of the great silent majorities (the vast numbers of regular people) to speak against the targeted killing of innocents; to fight against the attempted eradication of us-- the humanity of the earth, the fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters.
"I somewhere read that the truth is like a pyramid. Some chose to believe that the only truth is the side that is in front of them when in fact the truth is the whole pyramid." (Nadia)
The pyramid idea is interesting; and, I agree, too. The problem seems to be that there are so many factors/people/countries/organizations putting obstacles in the way of a person making the trip around all sides of the pyramid. It’s a very difficult trip.
While we are trying to decide the truth, Hans Blix will be telling his side on CNN (Monday at 8pm.)
Newt Gingrich is telling his version of UN activities.
The Spaniards will be deciding their future in today's elections.
Europe is tightening security.
One thing is clear. This is world-wide; and, the world needs all of the great silent majorities (the vast numbers of regular people) to speak against the targeted killing of innocents; to fight against the attempted eradication of us-- the humanity of the earth, the fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
WE'VE BEEN BLIXED
Nadia says: "Blix book will tell the world what sort of liars Bush and Blair are. And some will go to any length to discredit the messenger (Blix) instead of turning the focus to Bush and Blair." (Al Muajaha.com)
Blix's book may just tell more than Blix wants known. His quotes are wonderful. There is a saying that sometimes it's best to "smile and let the world believe you are intelligent; rather than open your mouth to confirm your ignorance." In the Hans Blix case, it may be more than ignorance.
Earlier this year, Blix admitted to a British newspaper: *****"It's correct to say that the IAEA was fooled by the Iraqis."*****
No, Hans Blix (who said they were clean again, and again) was fooled. It's very possible that no one will bother to discredit Hans Blix, we'll just wait for him to do it himself.
Nadia says: "Blix book will tell the world what sort of liars Bush and Blair are. And some will go to any length to discredit the messenger (Blix) instead of turning the focus to Bush and Blair." (Al Muajaha.com)
Blix's book may just tell more than Blix wants known. His quotes are wonderful. There is a saying that sometimes it's best to "smile and let the world believe you are intelligent; rather than open your mouth to confirm your ignorance." In the Hans Blix case, it may be more than ignorance.
Earlier this year, Blix admitted to a British newspaper: *****"It's correct to say that the IAEA was fooled by the Iraqis."*****
No, Hans Blix (who said they were clean again, and again) was fooled. It's very possible that no one will bother to discredit Hans Blix, we'll just wait for him to do it himself.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
BLIX AGAIN
More quotes and miscellanous:
Blix said Iraq was unable to account for its cache of VX poison gas or its stockpile of anthrax. The VX gas, Blix told the panel, appeared to have been "weaponized." In addition there were concerned about the fate of VX precursor chemicals, which Iraq told inspectors were lost in the Gulf War bombing or destroyed by Iraq.
[note: It doesn’t exist, and now it “appeared to have been ‘weaponized.”]
Iraq declared that it had destroyed its store of 8,500 liters of anthrax in 1991, but Blix said no "convincing evidence" existed of its destruction.
"There are strong indications that Iraq produced more anthrax than it declared and that at least some of this was retained after the declared destruction date. It might still exist," Blix said
Those questions include what Iraq has done with its stockpiles of
the nerve agent VX. There are indications that Iraq has weaponized this deadly chemical, Blix said. Moreover, "There are strong indications that Iraq produced more anthrax than it declared."
"Any further sign of the concealed documents would be serious," Blix said. "There can be no sanctuaries for proscribed items, activities, or documents. A denial of prompt access to any site would be very serious matter."
"Iraq appears not to have come to a genuine acceptance, not
even today, of the disarmament which was demanded of it," Blix said.
More quotes and miscellanous:
Blix said Iraq was unable to account for its cache of VX poison gas or its stockpile of anthrax. The VX gas, Blix told the panel, appeared to have been "weaponized." In addition there were concerned about the fate of VX precursor chemicals, which Iraq told inspectors were lost in the Gulf War bombing or destroyed by Iraq.
[note: It doesn’t exist, and now it “appeared to have been ‘weaponized.”]
Iraq declared that it had destroyed its store of 8,500 liters of anthrax in 1991, but Blix said no "convincing evidence" existed of its destruction.
"There are strong indications that Iraq produced more anthrax than it declared and that at least some of this was retained after the declared destruction date. It might still exist," Blix said
Those questions include what Iraq has done with its stockpiles of
the nerve agent VX. There are indications that Iraq has weaponized this deadly chemical, Blix said. Moreover, "There are strong indications that Iraq produced more anthrax than it declared."
"Any further sign of the concealed documents would be serious," Blix said. "There can be no sanctuaries for proscribed items, activities, or documents. A denial of prompt access to any site would be very serious matter."
"Iraq appears not to have come to a genuine acceptance, not
even today, of the disarmament which was demanded of it," Blix said.
HANS BLIX
According to a new article on Al Muajaha.com, Blix has a book out. I just had to respond with as much as I could collect.
Butler said he had ''no doubt'' that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, but was unsure whether they would be found.
***''Do they exist? No question. I knew that, (current U.N. chief weapons inspector) Hans Blix knew that, the U.N. Security Council knows that, the permanent members of the Security Council knew that because some of them kept the receipts,'' Butler said***. [Sydney, April 15, Kyodo—comment by Richard Butler, former Chief UN Weapons Inspector]
Per Ahlmark, who had been Blix’s boss in 1960 and had followed his career since then, said in an article published on Nov. 1, 2002 that Blix was chosen after "Friends of Iraq in Paris and Moscow consulted Baghdad to see whom Saddam would prefer." He added, "France and Russia then suggested Mr. Blix."
Ahlmark’s article was appropriately titled, "Sending in a Dupe to Disarm Saddam." He described Blix as amiable but "politically weak and easily fooled." He said, "I can think of few European officials less suitable for a showdown with Saddam."
He pointed out that Blix, as head of the IAEA, had assured the world before the Gulf War that nothing alarming was happening in Iraq. He gave Saddam the report he had hoped for when he began hiding his nuclear ambitions and facilities.
. . .He contrasts him with David Kay, whom he described as a highly skilled inspector who discovered evidence that Iraq was only 12 to 18 months away from producing a nuclear device. He says that Kay’s distrust of Saddam’s henchmen led Blix to chide him for not accepting "official information."
"I think it is wiser," he said, "to interview the Iraqis inside Iraq and in the presence of a representative of the Iraqi government." (Blix)
[This might make some Iraqis laugh. . .now. It could have been more blatant, Blix could have suggested that the scientists be interview in the presence of Iraqi Intelligence—but, maybe they were present in some form.]
DURING THE BLIX WATCH:
IAEA: Iraq developed WMD; India and Pakistan acquired nuclear, North Korea began developing nuclear was inspected—but still has it. Iran has a nuclear program, possibly begun during Blix’s watch. (IAEA needs improvement.)
UNMOVIC: Libya has WMD (including nuclear material and missiles) stockpiles of chemicals—tons of it. Syria has WMD. Iraq had existing programs. Is Syria’s WMD Iraq’s WMD? We don’t know yet. (UNMOVIC needs improvement--more than just Blix’s retirement.)
Looking into Blix's background, Podhoretz learned that
Hans Blix was director general of the International Atomic
Energy Agency. In that job he was to determine whether
certain nations - including Iraq - were developing nuclear
weapons.
Blix, Podhoretz writes, insisted that Iraq was clean. Not
once, but again and again. After the Gulf War, however,
documents seized by America and its allies established
that Saddam was within months of acquiring a nuclear bomb
Earlier this year, Blix admitted to a British newspaper:
"It's correct to say that the IAEA was fooled by the Iraqis."
"There is a fair amount of skepticism about armed action," Blix said at a U.N. press
briefing on Tuesday. "That skepticism would turn immediately around, if they used
chemical weapons or biological weapons," he said. "My guess is they would not."
http://www.newsmax.com/archive/print.shtml?a=2003/3/19/00030
[note: Apparently, Mr. Blix appears to believe they have the weapons in March 2003, just that they would not use them.]
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix earlier told the U.N. Security Council that Iraq "does not appear to have come to a general acceptance" of the disarmament demanded of it. He said Iraq has been playing "hide and seek."
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/1/27/161214.shtml
[note: “Hide and seek” with what? How could you believe someone is hiding what you don’t believe they have.]
(OPINION)
“And Taheri warns that it appears that Blix believes that his job is not to uncover Saddam's hidden weapons of mass destruction but to come up with ‘a diplomatic fig leaf’ that could preclude a war to enforce U.N. resolutions and U.S. demands that Iraq disarm.”
[note: Blix (apparently) believed his title was not Chief Weapons Inspector, but Chief Fig Leaf Finder--Diplomat. And so, he did not find the more recent missile program--the missle is a violation of UNSC Resolutions.”]
According to a new article on Al Muajaha.com, Blix has a book out. I just had to respond with as much as I could collect.
Butler said he had ''no doubt'' that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, but was unsure whether they would be found.
***''Do they exist? No question. I knew that, (current U.N. chief weapons inspector) Hans Blix knew that, the U.N. Security Council knows that, the permanent members of the Security Council knew that because some of them kept the receipts,'' Butler said***. [Sydney, April 15, Kyodo—comment by Richard Butler, former Chief UN Weapons Inspector]
Per Ahlmark, who had been Blix’s boss in 1960 and had followed his career since then, said in an article published on Nov. 1, 2002 that Blix was chosen after "Friends of Iraq in Paris and Moscow consulted Baghdad to see whom Saddam would prefer." He added, "France and Russia then suggested Mr. Blix."
Ahlmark’s article was appropriately titled, "Sending in a Dupe to Disarm Saddam." He described Blix as amiable but "politically weak and easily fooled." He said, "I can think of few European officials less suitable for a showdown with Saddam."
He pointed out that Blix, as head of the IAEA, had assured the world before the Gulf War that nothing alarming was happening in Iraq. He gave Saddam the report he had hoped for when he began hiding his nuclear ambitions and facilities.
. . .He contrasts him with David Kay, whom he described as a highly skilled inspector who discovered evidence that Iraq was only 12 to 18 months away from producing a nuclear device. He says that Kay’s distrust of Saddam’s henchmen led Blix to chide him for not accepting "official information."
"I think it is wiser," he said, "to interview the Iraqis inside Iraq and in the presence of a representative of the Iraqi government." (Blix)
[This might make some Iraqis laugh. . .now. It could have been more blatant, Blix could have suggested that the scientists be interview in the presence of Iraqi Intelligence—but, maybe they were present in some form.]
DURING THE BLIX WATCH:
IAEA: Iraq developed WMD; India and Pakistan acquired nuclear, North Korea began developing nuclear was inspected—but still has it. Iran has a nuclear program, possibly begun during Blix’s watch. (IAEA needs improvement.)
UNMOVIC: Libya has WMD (including nuclear material and missiles) stockpiles of chemicals—tons of it. Syria has WMD. Iraq had existing programs. Is Syria’s WMD Iraq’s WMD? We don’t know yet. (UNMOVIC needs improvement--more than just Blix’s retirement.)
Looking into Blix's background, Podhoretz learned that
Hans Blix was director general of the International Atomic
Energy Agency. In that job he was to determine whether
certain nations - including Iraq - were developing nuclear
weapons.
Blix, Podhoretz writes, insisted that Iraq was clean. Not
once, but again and again. After the Gulf War, however,
documents seized by America and its allies established
that Saddam was within months of acquiring a nuclear bomb
Earlier this year, Blix admitted to a British newspaper:
"It's correct to say that the IAEA was fooled by the Iraqis."
"There is a fair amount of skepticism about armed action," Blix said at a U.N. press
briefing on Tuesday. "That skepticism would turn immediately around, if they used
chemical weapons or biological weapons," he said. "My guess is they would not."
http://www.newsmax.com/archive/print.shtml?a=2003/3/19/00030
[note: Apparently, Mr. Blix appears to believe they have the weapons in March 2003, just that they would not use them.]
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix earlier told the U.N. Security Council that Iraq "does not appear to have come to a general acceptance" of the disarmament demanded of it. He said Iraq has been playing "hide and seek."
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/1/27/161214.shtml
[note: “Hide and seek” with what? How could you believe someone is hiding what you don’t believe they have.]
(OPINION)
“And Taheri warns that it appears that Blix believes that his job is not to uncover Saddam's hidden weapons of mass destruction but to come up with ‘a diplomatic fig leaf’ that could preclude a war to enforce U.N. resolutions and U.S. demands that Iraq disarm.”
[note: Blix (apparently) believed his title was not Chief Weapons Inspector, but Chief Fig Leaf Finder--Diplomat. And so, he did not find the more recent missile program--the missle is a violation of UNSC Resolutions.”]
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Useless Knowledge
[i]As Blix himself said:
“Little of the detail in these declarations, such as production quantities, dates of events and unilateral destruction activities, can be confirmed. Such information is critical to an assessment of the status of disarmament. Furthermore, in some instances, UNMOVIC has information that conflicts with the information in the declaration. (page 139)”
Now that we've removed Saddam from power, we've finally been able to begin conducting serious inspections (still hampered, however, by terrorist activity). Dr. David Kay was able to uncover a secret network of biological labs, testing labs in prisons, ongoing work on possible bioweapons like Brucella and Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever, unmanned aerial vehicles, and live botulinum that could have been used to quickly produce biological weapons. He also stated, "The ISG nuclear team has found indications that there was interest, beginning in 2002, in reconstituting a centrifuge enrichment program."
In January 2004, Kay said that he had not found large stockpiles of actual weapons, and the news media seized on that statement, ignoring what he actually did find. Now, despite the twelve years of UN insistence that Saddam had not accounted for all his WMDs, and the things that were found after the liberation of Iraq that Saddam never would have turned over to the UN voluntarily, is the United Nations seriously trying to say that they believe that Iraq had no illegal weapons since 1994? Does the UN really think we will forget their own reports to the contrary?[/i]
David Kay
David Kay (2003)
[i] Let me just give you a few examples of these concealment efforts, some of which I will elaborate on later:
• A clandestine network of laboratories and safehouses within the Iraqi Intelligence Service that contained equipment subject to UN monitoring and suitable for continuing CBW research.
• A prison laboratory complex, possibly used in human testing of BW agents, that Iraqi officials working to prepare for UN inspections were explicitly ordered not to declare to the UN.
• Reference strains of biological organisms concealed in a scientist's home, one of which can be used to produce biological weapons.
• New research on BW-applicable agents, Brucella and Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), and continuing work on ricin and aflatoxin were not declared to the UN.
• Documents and equipment, hidden in scientists' homes, that would have been useful in resuming uranium enrichment by centrifuge and electromagnetic isotope separation (EMIS).
• A line of UAVs not fully declared at an undeclared production facility and an admission that they had tested one of their declared UAVs out to a range of 500 km, 350 km beyond the permissible limit.
• Continuing covert capability to manufacture fuel propellant useful only for prohibited SCUD variant missiles, a capability that was maintained at least until the end of 2001 and that cooperating Iraqi scientists have said they were told to conceal from the UN.
• Plans and advanced design work for new long-range missiles with ranges up to at least 1000 km - well beyond the 150 km range limit imposed by the UN. Missiles of a 1000 km range would have allowed Iraq to threaten targets through out the Middle East, including Ankara, Cairo, and Abu Dhabi.
• Clandestine attempts between late-1999 and 2002 to obtain from North Korea technology related to 1,300 km range ballistic missiles --probably the No Dong -- 300 km range anti-ship cruise missiles, and other prohibited military equipment.
In addition to the discovery of extensive concealment efforts, we have been faced with a systematic sanitization of documentary and computer evidence in a wide range of offices, laboratories, and companies suspected of WMD work. The pattern of these efforts to erase evidence - hard drives destroyed, specific files burned, equipment cleaned of all traces of use - are ones of deliberate, rather than random, acts. For example,
• On 10 July 2003 an ISG team exploited the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) Headquarters in Baghdad. The basement of the main building contained an archive of documents situated on well-organized rows of metal shelving. The basement suffered no fire damage despite the total destruction of the upper floors from coalition air strikes. Upon arrival the exploitation team encountered small piles of ash where individual documents or binders of documents were intentionally destroyed. Computer hard drives had been deliberately destroyed. Computers would have had financial value to a random looter; their destruction, rather than removal for resale or reuse, indicates a targeted effort to prevent Coalition forces from gaining access to their contents.
• All IIS laboratories visited by IIS exploitation teams have been clearly sanitized, including removal of much equipment, shredding and burning of documents, and even the removal of nameplates from office doors.
• Although much of the deliberate destruction and sanitization of documents and records probably occurred during the height of OIF combat operations, indications of significant continuing destruction efforts have been found after the end of major combat operations, including entry in May 2003 of the locked gated vaults of the Ba'ath party intelligence building in Baghdad and highly selective destruction of computer hard drives and data storage equipment along with the burning of a small number of specific binders that appear to have contained financial and intelligence records, and in July 2003 a site exploitation team at the Abu Ghurayb Prison found one pile of the smoldering ashes from documents that was still warm to the touch.[/i]
[i]As Blix himself said:
“Little of the detail in these declarations, such as production quantities, dates of events and unilateral destruction activities, can be confirmed. Such information is critical to an assessment of the status of disarmament. Furthermore, in some instances, UNMOVIC has information that conflicts with the information in the declaration. (page 139)”
Now that we've removed Saddam from power, we've finally been able to begin conducting serious inspections (still hampered, however, by terrorist activity). Dr. David Kay was able to uncover a secret network of biological labs, testing labs in prisons, ongoing work on possible bioweapons like Brucella and Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever, unmanned aerial vehicles, and live botulinum that could have been used to quickly produce biological weapons. He also stated, "The ISG nuclear team has found indications that there was interest, beginning in 2002, in reconstituting a centrifuge enrichment program."
In January 2004, Kay said that he had not found large stockpiles of actual weapons, and the news media seized on that statement, ignoring what he actually did find. Now, despite the twelve years of UN insistence that Saddam had not accounted for all his WMDs, and the things that were found after the liberation of Iraq that Saddam never would have turned over to the UN voluntarily, is the United Nations seriously trying to say that they believe that Iraq had no illegal weapons since 1994? Does the UN really think we will forget their own reports to the contrary?[/i]
David Kay
David Kay (2003)
[i] Let me just give you a few examples of these concealment efforts, some of which I will elaborate on later:
• A clandestine network of laboratories and safehouses within the Iraqi Intelligence Service that contained equipment subject to UN monitoring and suitable for continuing CBW research.
• A prison laboratory complex, possibly used in human testing of BW agents, that Iraqi officials working to prepare for UN inspections were explicitly ordered not to declare to the UN.
• Reference strains of biological organisms concealed in a scientist's home, one of which can be used to produce biological weapons.
• New research on BW-applicable agents, Brucella and Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), and continuing work on ricin and aflatoxin were not declared to the UN.
• Documents and equipment, hidden in scientists' homes, that would have been useful in resuming uranium enrichment by centrifuge and electromagnetic isotope separation (EMIS).
• A line of UAVs not fully declared at an undeclared production facility and an admission that they had tested one of their declared UAVs out to a range of 500 km, 350 km beyond the permissible limit.
• Continuing covert capability to manufacture fuel propellant useful only for prohibited SCUD variant missiles, a capability that was maintained at least until the end of 2001 and that cooperating Iraqi scientists have said they were told to conceal from the UN.
• Plans and advanced design work for new long-range missiles with ranges up to at least 1000 km - well beyond the 150 km range limit imposed by the UN. Missiles of a 1000 km range would have allowed Iraq to threaten targets through out the Middle East, including Ankara, Cairo, and Abu Dhabi.
• Clandestine attempts between late-1999 and 2002 to obtain from North Korea technology related to 1,300 km range ballistic missiles --probably the No Dong -- 300 km range anti-ship cruise missiles, and other prohibited military equipment.
In addition to the discovery of extensive concealment efforts, we have been faced with a systematic sanitization of documentary and computer evidence in a wide range of offices, laboratories, and companies suspected of WMD work. The pattern of these efforts to erase evidence - hard drives destroyed, specific files burned, equipment cleaned of all traces of use - are ones of deliberate, rather than random, acts. For example,
• On 10 July 2003 an ISG team exploited the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) Headquarters in Baghdad. The basement of the main building contained an archive of documents situated on well-organized rows of metal shelving. The basement suffered no fire damage despite the total destruction of the upper floors from coalition air strikes. Upon arrival the exploitation team encountered small piles of ash where individual documents or binders of documents were intentionally destroyed. Computer hard drives had been deliberately destroyed. Computers would have had financial value to a random looter; their destruction, rather than removal for resale or reuse, indicates a targeted effort to prevent Coalition forces from gaining access to their contents.
• All IIS laboratories visited by IIS exploitation teams have been clearly sanitized, including removal of much equipment, shredding and burning of documents, and even the removal of nameplates from office doors.
• Although much of the deliberate destruction and sanitization of documents and records probably occurred during the height of OIF combat operations, indications of significant continuing destruction efforts have been found after the end of major combat operations, including entry in May 2003 of the locked gated vaults of the Ba'ath party intelligence building in Baghdad and highly selective destruction of computer hard drives and data storage equipment along with the burning of a small number of specific binders that appear to have contained financial and intelligence records, and in July 2003 a site exploitation team at the Abu Ghurayb Prison found one pile of the smoldering ashes from documents that was still warm to the touch.[/i]
AP
AP is reporting that 10 RPGs were fired into the Green Zone. Reports say that one building is on fire, housing, and possibly a Mess Hall were hit.
FOX: Not hearing any more explosions, or gunfire. Often "hit and run" attacks. FOX was explaining that it might be a light on the screen, not a fire; but, it seems to be flickering.
AP is reporting that 10 RPGs were fired into the Green Zone. Reports say that one building is on fire, housing, and possibly a Mess Hall were hit.
FOX: Not hearing any more explosions, or gunfire. Often "hit and run" attacks. FOX was explaining that it might be a light on the screen, not a fire; but, it seems to be flickering.
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING
Reports coming in are stating that the Ministry, as well as nearby housing, was hit. Newscasters are concerned that an attack might have been conducted on troop housing or housing of administration.
First reports are usually very speculative. Listing the incoming reports gives an indication of accuracy of these speculations--guesses. Sometimes, the guesses have been excited blurtings of those who need to continuously talk, no matter what they say. Other guess are, sometimes, well-educated speculations which are surprisingly accurate.
Off-topic: I have to reconstruct the links. They were very useful and were (accidentally) wiped out while trying to add the comments section. It's an OOOOPS!
Reports coming in are stating that the Ministry, as well as nearby housing, was hit. Newscasters are concerned that an attack might have been conducted on troop housing or housing of administration.
First reports are usually very speculative. Listing the incoming reports gives an indication of accuracy of these speculations--guesses. Sometimes, the guesses have been excited blurtings of those who need to continuously talk, no matter what they say. Other guess are, sometimes, well-educated speculations which are surprisingly accurate.
Off-topic: I have to reconstruct the links. They were very useful and were (accidentally) wiped out while trying to add the comments section. It's an OOOOPS!
EXPLOSION(S) IN BAGHDAD
The news is reporting explosion or explosions in Baghdad near the Green Zone. Sirens are screaming. No information about what is happening, but the speculation is that possibly a series of attacks are in progress.
Early reports are that the explosions (now said to be plural) downtown near the Green Zone. Possibly rockets or motars are being shot into the area. Thick smoke is coming out of a building in the Baghdad Green Zone, according to Fox News. The explosions were followed by gunfire.
The news is reporting explosion or explosions in Baghdad near the Green Zone. Sirens are screaming. No information about what is happening, but the speculation is that possibly a series of attacks are in progress.
Early reports are that the explosions (now said to be plural) downtown near the Green Zone. Possibly rockets or motars are being shot into the area. Thick smoke is coming out of a building in the Baghdad Green Zone, according to Fox News. The explosions were followed by gunfire.
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