Now here’s a rather startling item.. Not so much for its content, but for the fact that it’s being disseminated by a major “mainstream” news source — CBS.
Something known to civilians as “the inspection process.”
Discovering that the al-Samoud 2 has been flying too far in tests has been one of the inspectors’ major successes. But the missile has only been exceeding its 93-mile limit by about 15 miles and that, the Iraqis say, is because it isn’t yet loaded down with its guidance system. The al-Samoud 2 is not the 800-mile-plus range missile that Secretary of State Colin Powell insists Iraq is developing.”
So are we to take it that Colin Powell, ceaselessly trumpted for his integrity and gravitas is, in point of fact a liar ?
Yep, he’s a liar.
Example: satellite photographs purporting to show new research buildings at Iraqi nuclear sites. When the U.N. went into the new buildings they found “nothing.”
Example: Saddam’s presidential palaces, where the inspectors went with specific coordinates supplied by the U.S. on where to look for incriminating evidence. Again, they found “nothing.”
Example: Interviews with scientists about the aluminum tubes the U.S. says Iraq has imported for enriching uranium, but which the Iraqis say are for making rockets. Given the size and specification of the tubes, the U.N. calls the “Iraqi alibi air tight.”
The inspectors do acknowledge, however, that they would not be here at all if not for the threat of U.S. military action.”
I am reminded of that pivotal scene in Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil in which assistant detective Joseph Calleia finds sticks of dynamite in a box in a murder suspect’s apartment a few minutes after Charleton Heston had, purely by accident, knocked over the same — then empty — box. Once the dynamite is “discovered” the suspect is arrested by Welles unimaginably corrupt cop.
No fair guessing!
But this “mastery” has been attributed to them by the U.S., no?
A stalling device, confected to prop up an insupportable policy.
Secretary Powell said a headcount was “academic” because the resolution demanding Iraqi disarmament had not been put forward.”
One wonders why he didn’t simply say “unnecessary, because we’re going to do what we damn well please anyway. If we can get away with it on our own.”
Turkey is balking at U.S. terms for an economic aid package. Powell, who interceded on Wednesday with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, said he had told the Turkish leader “our position was firm with respect to the kind of assistance we could provide.”
However, Powell said, “there may be some other creative things we can do.”
International racketeering is just so damned expensive, right Mr. Powell?
One U.S. official said the projected day for presenting the resolution was Monday but that it could slip a day or two.
Powell said, “We won’t put a resolution down unless we intend to fight for the resolution, unless we believe we can make the case that it is appropriate.”
Uh Hunh.
In New York, a U.N. spokesman said Iraq also had submitted a list of people involved in the destruction of banned weapons — a key demand by chief weapons inspector Hans Blix.
It was the second flight this week by a U-2 in support of the U.N. inspection program. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said the plane spent six hours and 20 minutes over Iraq’s territory, searching for evidence of banned weapons.”
Surely a son et lumiere for the ages.
Never show your hand — when you’re holding so many high cards.
What’s a billion between “allies”?
The dispute with Turkey is one of many problems the Bush administration has as it tries to line up support for an attack on Iraq if Saddam doesn’t disarm quickly.”
Remindful of that Marx Bros. line (I forget which film) “That big bully is beating up on that little bully!”
Though dealing with fantasy is always preferable.
The president has said the council risks irrelevance if it does not face up to Iraq’s defiance of more than 10 years of disarmament resolutions.
Mr. Bush also has said if the council does not approve a second resolution he is prepared to go to war with a “coalition of the willing” — nations like Britain that agree with him that Iraq’s arsenals of biological and chemical weapons pose a threat.”
Let’s see now. The “willing” are Britain (sort of), Italy (maybe), and. . .well there’s Latvia!
The mind boggles at the billions that may be involved. And the contortions the press whores will have to put themselves through to describe them.
Indeed, as Orson Welles so famously noted, “It must be fun to run a newspaper.”
a suivre