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Iraq
Colin Powell's Tape Shows Iraqis 'Evacuating' WMDs
2005-11-15
Bush officials have done such a poor job defending themselves against charges they lied about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction that even their supporters seem to have forgotten about some of the most compelling WMD evidence. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, for instance, keeps apologizing for his speech to the United Nations on the eve of the Iraq war. But at least one chilling bit of evidence he introduced there has never been refuted.

Here's how Powell introduced his case on Feb. 5, 2003:

POWELL: Let me begin by playing a tape for you. What you're about to hear is a conversation that my government monitored. It takes place on November 26 [2002], on the day before United Nations teams resumed inspections in Iraq. The conversation involves two senior officers, a colonel and a brigadier general, from Iraq's elite military unit, the Republican Guard.

TAPE TRANSCRIPT:

IRAQI COLONEL : About this committee that is coming with [U.N. nuclear weapons inspector] Mohamed ElBaradei.

IRAQI GENERAL : Yeah, yeah.

COL: We have this modified vehicle. What do we say if one of them sees it?

GEN: You didn't get a modified... You don't have a modified...

COL: By God, I have one.

GEN: Which? From the workshop...?

COL: From the al-Kindi Company

GEN: Yeah, yeah. I'll come to you in the morning. I have some comments. I'm worried you all have something left.

COL: We evacuated everything. We don't have anything left. [END OF POWELL TAPE EXCERPT]

What type of "modified vehicle" do Iraq war critics think Saddam's general was worried about? A souped-up 1967 Mustang?

And what, pray tell, do they think Saddam's colonel was referring to when he said, "We evacuated everything. We don't have anything left"?
Yes, and all those truck convoys headed into Syria. Everyone seems to have forgotten about those as well.
Posted by:Steve

#14  No matter how dissatisfied I am with other aspects of the Bush administration's policies, this is one particular zombie that needs a stake driven through its chest.

AlBaradei and the UN, Tony Blair and British Intelligence, the Oval Office and our own CIA plus Russia and other allies all agreed that Saddam's willingness to use WMDs in addition to his possible possession of them constituted a definite and recognized threat to regional stability.

However poorly processed or reported the information regarding this assessment was, there is not one single piece of proof that intentional misrepresentation was involved in the portrayal of Saddam having WMDs.

That the left continues to howl about lies and deceit is nothing more than a smoke screen for its complete and total inability to come up with anything more substantial in terms of a cohesive program for fighting terrorism or enhancing global security.

However hamfisted America's occupation of Iraq has been, in the absence of any other offensive front against terrorism (besides Afghanistan), this assault on Islamist terrorism and attempt to install democratic reform in the Middle East is absolutely critical to America's national security.

People who advocate unilateral withdrawl from Iraq are sufficiently shortsighted as to pose a significant danger to the United States' ongoing survival.
Posted by: Zenster   2005-11-15 14:26  

#13  
  • Saddam lied people died. This is the unvarnished truth.

  • All the important stuff is setting in hiding in Syria.

  • WMD was only a small part of the cause for the invasion of Iraq. It really doesn't matter.

  • Don't play the dhimmicrats game. They want us to lose the war on terror. They are allies of the people who what to kill us and destroy our Nation and way of living.
  • Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom   2005-11-15 14:19  

    #12  Recycled at the Baby Milk Factory, perhaps? ;-)
    Posted by: .com   2005-11-15 14:01  

    #11  Another thing...I never heard a peep about Scuds captured after we invaded. Maybe I missed it.

    It's really hard to believe that Gulf I and the subsequent inspections got them all. So what happened to them?
    Posted by: KBK   2005-11-15 13:58  

    #10  "There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated
    the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."

    -Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002

    I think most of the lying assholes' quote are here.
    Posted by: .com   2005-11-15 13:33  

    #9  If that exchange is well reported, then Saddam had a year to hide his "smoking gun"

    WALLACE: Now, the President never said that Saddam Hussein was an imminent threat. As you saw, you did say that. If anyone hyped the intelligence, isn't it Jay Rockefeller?

    SEN. ROCKEFELLER: No. The — I mean, this question is asked a thousand times and I'll be happy to answer it a thousand times. I took a trip by myself in January of 2002 to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria, and I told each of the heads of state that it was my view that George Bush had already made up his mind to go to war against Iraq — that that was a predetermined set course which had taken shape shortly after 9/11.

    http://nationalreview.com/comment/bennett200511141541.asp
    Posted by: SwissTex   2005-11-15 13:25  

    #8  Powell lied - People died?
    Posted by: doc   2005-11-15 12:27  

    #7  If I am Basher...and I have half a brain...I have already thought of a way to save my hide and my fortune. I would ensure those that control the WMD were under my control...and I would trade safety for the WMDs.
    Posted by: anymouse   2005-11-15 12:21  

    #6  I didn't forget either; nor did I forget about the chemical suits and the fact that his generals were all sure Iraq had chemical arms. I figure that either Saddam ran one of the most successful(*) bluffs ever managed, or else somebody high up in the US government decided that the political fallout from an officially failed WMD search wasn't as dangerous as announcing where the materials actually went. If the latter, then they may have misjudged the depth of the MSM's animosity.

    (*)Is it still "success" if you get invaded anyway?
    Posted by: James   2005-11-15 12:12  

    #5  didn't he have unmanned Mig-23 or Mig 27 not sure which but unmanned versions adapted with chem spraying system too, and MD-500's kitted out with chem gear to? personally i think anyone who says ' Saddam never had any WMD' are absolutly clueless, i still think they are there just like his Mig-25's were hidden. I think they will turn up actually one day,just a guess/hunch.
    Posted by: Shep UK   2005-11-15 12:04  

    #4  Oh, and they keep this buried as well. Nothing like using them and the MSM ignor it.
    Posted by: Hupegum Snins5616   2005-11-15 11:22  

    #3  If Rove is such a genius, this would not be happening.

    If Rove's half the evil genius libs believe him to be Iraq's WMD and Osama will both appear in US custody early next fall. That would give the left a good solid year or so to continue digging their own graves and it'd be a move worthy of a Texas cowboy poker player. Of course I won't be holding my breath....
    Posted by: AzCat   2005-11-15 11:07  

    #2  Well, I certainly didn't forget. What happened to those radio intercepts and the satellite imagery of convoys headed to Syria? The reports and probably imagery of the WMD sites being evacuated using large trucks? What happened to the reports of Saddam's personal guards replacing the Iraqi border control troops at particular times when convoys were coming through headed for Syria?
    Posted by: KBK   2005-11-15 10:57  

    #1  If Rove is such a genius, this would not be happening. I dunno.
    Posted by: anymouse   2005-11-15 10:26  

    00:00