Article

2010-06-06 Iraq

Satellite Photos Support Testimony That Iraqi WMD Went to Syria

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Posted by tipper 2010-06-06 13:42|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 So, we going to credit Debka on this one?

Posted by Iblis 2010-06-06 16:51|| 2010-06-06 16:51|| Front Page Top

#2 Charley Duelfer is a nice guy but he is, in my view, no intelligence analyst or WMD expert. I suspect that UNSCOM's Dick Spurtzel might have been a bit more circumspect in his assessments. There was a large body of experts, Spurtzel along with them, who believed the Russians helped Saddam clean up his WMD mess prior to the second Gulf War.

Supporting evidence included the fact that Iraq did most of its WMD killing using Russian-made MiG and Sukhoi aircraft equipped with chemical sprayers. In addition, Saddam used French-made artillery and helicopters to dump gas on Iranian troops and Iraqi Kurds.

Iraq obtained Russian delivery systems and the same inventory of Russian-made chemical weapons at the same time. Iraqi SU-22 Fitter attack jets were armed with Warsaw Pact-designed bombs filled with chemical weapons. Iraq used these Russian jet fighters to drop chemical weapons on Iranian troops during the Iran-Iraq war.

Iraq tried to use these SU-22 jets during the 1991 Gulf War, but they were detected and destroyed on the ground before they could launch a deadly chemical attack.

Other Russian weapons found with chemical weapons include the FROG-7 missile, 122 mm rockets, 152 mm artillery and the M-1937 82 mm mortars. All the Iraqi artillery missiles, rockets, shells and mortar rounds filled with chemical weapons are of Russian design.

Iraqi forces were trained by Russians in the use of chemical weapons and equipped by Russia with anti-chemical suits. The Iraqi armed forces were trained, equipped and supplied with the proper logistics to perform chemical warfare by Russia.

Posted by Besoeker 2010-06-06 17:08|| 2010-06-06 17:08|| Front Page Top

#3 Maybe, but Syria opposed Iraq's invasion of Iran. They had already allied with same, and allowed the creation of Hizbollah's Shiite army, while Saddam Hussein was oppressing Shiites. But...politics makes strange bedfellows.

Posted by One Eyed Thinenter6178 2010-06-06 18:14|| 2010-06-06 18:14|| Front Page Top

#4 is that right? Link? I suspect the Baathist (Assad) party in power didn't join with Iran til Saddam bit the rope. Then they were looking at any alternative to losing power, and the Iranians showed up. They don't give a shit about sect, it's power. and if that means crushing (or not) a sect, they will do it. It's a "stay ahead of the one's who will kill you" method

Posted by Frank G 2010-06-06 18:24|| 2010-06-06 18:24|| Front Page Top

#5 Ain't it strange that they're willing to talk about this now that the Dems got their chance to run wild for a two year period and socialized half the country?

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2010-06-06 20:11|| 2010-06-06 20:11|| Front Page Top

#6 Don't let's forget that Hafez al Assad and his clan are neither Sunni nor Shiite, but Alawite, considered heretical by both Sunnis and Shiites. He plumped for the secularism of the Baath party (Arab National Socialists) at the ripe age of 16 years, never looking back. This made working with the Baathists of Iraq a natural choice.

In Hizb'allah, Iran gave Syria a tool to control Lebanon, which Syria views as its natural coastline. This also gave Syria another knife to aim at Israel's throat, in their long fight to get back the Golan Heights, from which they would finally be able to crush the upstart Juices in the plains below.

Or what Frank G. said so much more succinctly. ;-)

A good post, Besoeker. Do that more, please.

Posted by trailing wife 2010-06-06 20:58|| 2010-06-06 20:58|| Front Page Top

#7 I spoke with a young man who had been with an advanced group prior to official action in Iraq.
Elements of Iraqi forces sought capture but were refused till certain time later. He saw the trucks used to transport WMD and they were now empty. Later on I understand the Russians had helped with the transport operations, where I'd seen that information I don't recall.

Posted by Dale 2010-06-06 22:20|| 2010-06-06 22:20|| Front Page Top

#8 Syria has what cash, chemical/biological/radiological weapons, and much of the leadership of the Baath party from Iraq. What Syria doesn't have is the technical expertise to use the weapons Saddam Hussein sent there. Much of the Baath leadership felt the US would do the same thing they did during Gulf War I - hit fast, destroy as much of the Iraqi army as possible, and pull out. The Baathists intended to return and take power again once the US left. We didn't leave, we destroyed much of the Baath party infrastructure, and we're supporting a democratically elected government. The Baathists are still looking for a way to return to power, but the chances are getting slimmer and slimmer every day.

Posted by Old Patriot 2010-06-06 23:30|| 2010-06-06 23:30|| Front Page Top

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