events vindicate Vatican viewpoint

[Matt25]

Iraq Wmd Hunters Return to U.S. Empty-Handed

By Mark Sage, PA in New York

The hunt for Saddam Hussein’s alleged weapons of mass destruction has formally come to an end in Iraq, it emerged today.

Officials with the Iraq Survey Group (ISG), the body established to find the very weapons which justified the war, have returned to the US, amid growing dangers from insurgents in Iraq.

An interim report, written by former ISG head, Charles Duelfer, will serve as the group’s final conclusions, according to the Washington Post.

The Duelfer document contradicted virtually all the pre-war claims from London and Washington about Saddam possessing biological and chemical weapons, and reconstituting Iraq’s nuclear programme.

An intelligence official told the newspaper that the chances of weapons being hidden inside Iraq, or having been shipped out of the country before the war, were very small.

The search was called off amid the growing insurgency and risk of attack or kidnap in Iraq.

Every single suspect site in Iraq has been inspected by the ISG or plundered by insurgents and looters.

Most of the suspects have also been rounded up and questioned.

“We’ve talked to so many people that someone would have said something,” an intelligence official told the newspaper.

“We received nothing that contradicts the picture we’ve put forward. It’s possible there is a supply some place, but what is much more likely is that we will find a greater substantiation of the picture that we’ve already put forward.” The ISG still exists and is based at the Pentagon under Marine Corps Brigadier General Joseph McMenamin.

The group is now mainly concentrating on counter-insurgency work.

The ISG has urged the Pentagon to release scientists who have been questioned at length about Iraq’s weapons capabilities.

They are General Amir Saadi, a liaison between Saddam’s government and UN inspectors; Rihab Taha, a biologist nicknamed “Dr Germ” in the west; her husband, Amir Rashid, the former oil minister; and Huda Amash, another biologist who earned the nickname “Mrs Anthrax”.

The ISG determined that none of the scientists had been involved in Iraqi weapons programmes since the first Gulf War, the newspaper reported.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3992592

[jlw]

The Duelfer document contradicted virtually all the pre-war claims from London and Washington about Saddam possessing biological and chemical weapons, and reconstituting Iraq’s nuclear programme.

Here we go again....

The claims were coming from EVERYONE, including the UN.

AND...

If you read the Duelfer Report, it DID NOT contradict all the claims...in fact, it supported those claims quite a bit, and under resolution 1441, Iraq was in breach of it's agreement all over the place.

But that doesn't matter to the Left.

[Matt25]

Originally Posted by jlw

Here we go again....

The claims were coming from EVERYONE, including the UN.

AND...

If you read the Duelfer Report, it DID NOT contradict all the claims...in fact, it supported those claims quite a bit, and under resolution 1441, Iraq was in breach of it's agreement all over the place.

But that doesn't matter to the Left.

The report comes from the Press Association not a left wing organisation. But facts dont matter to the right

[Friar David, O.Carm]

Originally Posted by Matt25

The report comes from the Press Association not a left wing organisation. But facts dont matter to the right

Hmmm, maybe the Press Association is a left wing organization?

After all, the media has been proven to be full of left wing bias.

[sbcoral]

Originally Posted by ByzCath

After all, the media has been proven to be full of left wing bias.

Only if you listen to right-wing nuts.

Knowing what we know now, though, has the invasion and occupation of Iraq been worth the price? What have we gained by sacrificing the lives and bodies of 1000s of our own soldiers, to say nothing of the #s of Iraqis we have killed or maimed intentionally or unintentionally? Maybe I am some kind of psychic, but I never saw evidence of an imminent threat to our security before the war and never knew what the big rush to invade was about. To my mind, war should only be fought as a last resort. I was against the war from the start. Looks like I was right.

[TPJCatholic]

I have felt for a very long time, and still think, that the war in Iraq was NOT about Saddam's wmd's, rather it was about Iran and their wmd programs. We now 150,000 solidiers very close to Iran--and nearly all experts think that Iran has been the home base for Bin Laden for some time. Do not forget that World War III began with Iran taking our hostages! I think Bush and his admin truly did believe that Saddam had the weapons, but the real threat was/is Iran.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by TPJCatholic

I have felt for a very long time, and still think, that the war in Iraq was NOT about Saddam's wmd's, rather it was about Iran and their wmd programs. We now 150,000 solidiers very close to Iran--and nearly all experts think that Iran has been the home base for Bin Laden for some time. Do not forget that World War III began with Iran taking our hostages! I think Bush and his admin truly did believe that Saddam had the weapons, but the real threat was/is Iran.

Iran is at the top of the list in terms of supporting terrorism around the world. Iraq wasn't far behind.

[sbcoral]

Originally Posted by TPJCatholic

I have felt for a very long time, and still think, that the war in Iraq was NOT about Saddam's wmd's, rather it was about Iran and their wmd programs. We now 150,000 solidiers very close to Iran--and nearly all experts think that Iran has been the home base for Bin Laden for some time. Do not forget that World War III began with Iran taking our hostages! I think Bush and his admin truly did believe that Saddam had the weapons, but the real threat was/is Iran.

Is Iran really linked to al Qaeda? Maybe - I don't know everything - but Osama and his ilk are Sunni Muslims. Iran and its whole religious government is Shiite. That is a pretty big, fundamental difference, I thought.

[jlw]

Originally Posted by sbcoral

Only if you listen to right-wing nuts.

Knowing what we know now, though, has the invasion and occupation of Iraq been worth the price? What have we gained by sacrificing the lives and bodies of 1000s of our own soldiers, to say nothing of the #s of Iraqis we have killed or maimed intentionally or unintentionally? Maybe I am some kind of psychic, but I never saw evidence of an imminent threat to our security before the war and never knew what the big rush to invade was about. To my mind, war should only be fought as a last resort. I was against the war from the start. Looks like I was right.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers died for freedom. Worth it?? Yes. Freedom is worth it. You are so thankless. Behind ungratefulness is pride. It always is.

Nice armchair quarterbacking. Where were you on 9/11?? Sheesh, thanks for warning us!!

Osama Bin Laden said back in 1996 that he was at war with the US. the plans for 9/11 were hatched in '96. Were we threatened??? Then Embassy bombings. USS Cole. Should we have done something then??

The last resort?? What EXACTLY is "the last resort"???

Oh yeah, another 9/11. That oughta do it for you.

[Matt25]

Originally Posted by jlw

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers died for freedom. Worth it?? Yes. Freedom is worth it. You are so thankless. Behind ungratefulness is pride. It always is.

Nice armchair quarterbacking. Where were you on 9/11?? Sheesh, thanks for warning us!!

Osama Bin Laden said back in 1996 that he was at war with the US. the plans for 9/11 were hatched in '96. Were we threatened??? Then Embassy bombings. USS Cole. Should we have done something then??

The last resort?? What EXACTLY is "the last resort"???

Oh yeah, another 9/11. That oughta do it for you.

There was no link between Saddam Hussein and the September 2001 attacks on the USA. If you don't believe me believe George W Bush who said as much himself.

[jlw]

Originally Posted by Matt25

There was no link between Saddam Hussein and the September 2001 attacks on the USA. If you don't believe me believe George W Bush who said as much himself.

No kidding. Duh, knew that.

But this a war against terrorism. It's not called the War on Osama. Nor is this called a War against Saddam. It is not called The War against Zarqawi.

It is a war against terrorists, and those who aid, abet, fund etc acts of terrorism. Those, by dispicible means, thwart freedom and peace. Saddam was certainly on this side, in word and deed.

(Side note: The national security of the United States has been at risk since 1887!! We may not know this day-in-and day-out, but it's the truth.)

In the age of modern terrorism, even prior to 9/11, and most certainly NOW in post-9/11 world, Saddam Hussien was a threat, given his history, given his words, given the intel (flawed, only in hindsight) of countless agencies besides that of the US and Britain.

He was in direct opposition to freedom and peace. (Peace, by the way, does not just mean "absence of war", unless we are in kindergarden).

Fighting and dying for freedom is worth it. I have not been in a firefight, but by God, I would give my life to save my family's lives for tyranny.

[sbcoral]

Originally Posted by jlw

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers died for freedom. Worth it?? Yes. Freedom is worth it. You are so thankless. Behind ungratefulness is pride. It always is.

Nice armchair quarterbacking. Where were you on 9/11?? Sheesh, thanks for warning us!!

Osama Bin Laden said back in 1996 that he was at war with the US. the plans for 9/11 were hatched in '96. Were we threatened??? Then Embassy bombings. USS Cole. Should we have done something then??

The last resort?? What EXACTLY is "the last resort"???

Oh yeah, another 9/11. That oughta do it for you.

I don't think it's been hundreds of thousands of people dead, at least not yet. Whose freedom are you talking about? Ours? Was Saddam a threat to our freedom? How, exactly? Or are you talking about the freedom of Iraqis? Was that why we launched this war - as a kind, humanitarian diversion from the real war on al Qaeda? If that's the case, then I can think of about 50 other countries we ought to be invading in order to provide freedom.

And I don't really get this stuff about 9/11 and Osama that you are talking about. As my retarded uncle knows, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 or Osama bin Laden.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by sbcoral

Only if you listen to right-wing nuts.

Knowing what we know now, though, has the invasion and occupation of Iraq been worth the price? What have we gained by sacrificing the lives and bodies of 1000s of our own soldiers, to say nothing of the #s of Iraqis we have killed or maimed intentionally or unintentionally? Maybe I am some kind of psychic, but I never saw evidence of an imminent threat to our security before the war and never knew what the big rush to invade was about. To my mind, war should only be fought as a last resort. I was against the war from the start. Looks like I was right.

Right. People were saying the universities were not biased either until the truth came out that 7 out of 8 professors are democrats.

Do you think Rather and the other 4 CBS News employees were axed for their right-wing bias?

Thousands of our soliders? Think again and try counting from the beginning. It hasn't been thousands.

Looks like you should count your lucky stars that you live in the US of A and you had a leader that was man enough to stop a Middle East madman before one of his sympathizers ended up blowing up a building you happened to be walking in.

How many times do we have to repeat the tired arguments that Sadaam was given 15 or so chances to adhere to UN resolutions and he said to the UN this: "kiss my ___". It was a last resort. For you and otherise that assume that madmen are also stupid, don't count on it. Hitler was a genius, Stalin wasn't far behind, and Sadaam was a disciple of Stalin. If you think he didn't play games with diplomats around the world and he didn't have the capability to rid his weapons when given ample time to do so then you, again, should thank God you live in a country where doing little thinking will not get you killed or imprisoned.

[Norwich]

Originally Posted by Brad

Right. People were saying the universities were not biased either until the truth came out that 7 out of 8 professors are democrats.

So does that mean that the remainder were republican but not biased?

Strange set of values I would have thought.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Norwich

So does that mean that the remainder were republican but not biased?

Strange set of values I would have thought.

Can't help you if you can't do math.