TAPES DISCOVERY ENDORSE BUSH’S WMD CLAIM VS HUSSEIN
By J. Grant Swank Jr. (03/13/06)
"'Terrorism is coming ... with the Americans,' Saddam said," according to The Washington Times' Rowan Scarborough.
"'The ISG (inspectors), they were lied to in a very systematic way,' he said. 'Lying. They were very good at it.'"
Back to weapons of mass destruction. The recent audiotapes of Hussein with his officialdom support US President George W. Bush’s contention that Hussein was going forward with weapons of mass destruction after UN inspectors got out of town.
In addition, there are thousands upon thousands of supportive Iraqi documents now analyzed by US officials. In part, they say that Hussein was proceeding with uranium connections in Africa during the mid-1990s. The Hussein papers also reveal buried "prohibited missiles."
"’The factories are present,’ an Iraqi aide tells Saddam while UN weapons inspectors were searching for Baghdad's remaining stocks of weapons of mass destruction.
"’The factories remain, in the mind they remain. Our spirit is with us, based solely on the time period,’ the aide says, according to the documents. ‘And [inspectors] take note of the time period, they can't account for our will.’"
This information came to a former Army warrant officer and Arabic speaker, Bill Tierney. He found them by happenstance. He was translating 12 hours of tapes for the US when he discovered them. These tapes were "unearthed in Iraq after the invasion."
"Mr. Tierney said that the quote from the Saddam aide, and scores of others, show Saddam was rebuilding his once-ample weapons stocks.
"’The tapes show that Saddam rebuilt his program and successfully prevented the UN from finding out about it,’ he said."
"’Terrorism is coming ... with the Americans,’ Saddam said. ‘With the Americans, two years ago, not a long while ago, with the English I believe, there was a campaign ... with one of them, that in the future there would be terrorism with weapons of mass destruction.’"
Yet more: "There are about 500 hours of additional Saddam tapings still being translated and analyzed by the U.S. In addition, in Qatar sit 48,000 boxes of Iraqi documents, of which the military has delivered 68 pages" for analysis.
An American spokesman states: "Everything [Saddam] is doing is saying, 'Let's take it and hide it' with a clear intent. 'As soon as this is over, we're going to be back after this.' "
Further, there are those "convinced that Saddam moved his remaining weapons to Syria. They cite satellite photos of lines of trucks heading into the neighboring country before the invasion and the fact Saddam positioned his trusted Iraqi Intelligence Service agents at border crossings.
"Mr. Tierney said he thinks the regime poured chemical weapons into lakes and rivers and sent other stocks over the border to Syria. Mr. Tierney served as a UN weapons inspector in the 1990s.
"’The ISG (inspectors), they were lied to in a very systematic way,’ he said. ‘Lying. They were very good at it.’"
Now that we have returned to the WMD subject, let us recall:
1998 Clinton: 'Saddam Threat. . .Nuclear Arms, Poison Gas, Bio Weapons'
"’Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down. But once more, the United States has proven that although we are never eager to use force, when we must act in America's vital interests, we will do so.’"
According to CNN.com, former US President Bill Clinton was most emphatic concerning Saddam Hussein’s real-life in real-time threat to the entire globe. That included Hussein holding the planet hostage with "nuclear arms, poison gas and biological weapons." The Chief Executive gave the warning from the Oval Office via telecast. The date: December 1998.
In fact, Clinton spoke starkly. He cautioned that "Iraq had abused its last chance."
Today, that same Clinton speaks to Dubai University, instructing his Islamic youthful audience that US President George W. Bush made decisive "errors" when setting forth Operation Iraqi Freedom which toppled Saddam Hussein.
Clinton’s clique of politically liberal colleagues, such as Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy, echo his present-tense slam against the Bush administration, the latter having liberated millions of Iraqis as well as establishing an Iraqi public vote, parliament, and constitution.
Of course, Clinton now tells his Muslim audience that Mr. Bush’s push through Iraq was an "invasion" when the truly knowledgeable know it to be one of the most awesome liberations of all time.
In 1998, Clinton "spelled out Iraq’s non-compliance. Iraq repeatedly blocked UNSCOM from inspecting suspect sites. Iraq repeatedly restricted UNSCOM’s ability to obtain necessary evidence. Iraq tried to stop an UNSCOM biological weapons team from videotaping a site and photocopying documents and prevented Iraqi personnel from answering inspectors' questions."
In 1998, all of this troubled Clinton so greatly that he called on the world to do something in real terms regarding the pressing threat, Saddam Hussein.
Clinton went on to inform the free world that "Iraq had failed to turn over virtually all documents requested by the inspectors. The president said Iraq's refusal to cooperate with U.N. weapons inspectors presented a threat to the entire world.
"’Saddam (Hussein) must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons,’ Clinton said."
To back up his verbiage, Clinton informed the world that there would be a string of attacks programmed by American and British forces. It would be known as Operation Desert Fox.
Clinton as President stated that he commanded that America’s armed forces "’strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces. Their mission is to attack Iraq’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.’"
Why were not other countries with weapons of mass destruction dealt with? Clinton explained that Saddam Hussein was "’ in a different category because he has used such weapons against his own people and against his neighbors.’"
"’Along with Prime Minister (Tony) Blair of Great Britain, I made it equally clear that if Saddam failed to cooperate fully (with the UN inspectors) we would be prepared to act without delay, diplomacy or warning,’ Clinton said.
"‘Instead of inspectors disarming Saddam, Saddam has disarmed the inspectors. In halting our airstrikes in November, I gave Saddam a chance -- not a license. If we turn our backs on his defiance, the credibility of U.S. power as a check against Saddam will be destroyed,’ Clinton stated with certainty.
"’If Saddam can cripple the weapons inspections system and get away with it, he would conclude the international community, led by the United States, has simply lost its will. He would surmise that he has free rein to rebuild his arsenal of destruction. The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government -- a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people,’ Clinton informed the world.
"’Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down. But once more, the United States has proven that although we are never eager to use force, when we must act in America's vital interests, we will do so.’"
So be it. History speaks. And those who remember, hold those who spoke accountable.
Copyright © 2006 by J. Grant Swank, Jr.
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