Ray Robison on the Saddam tapes (continued)
Our contributor Ray Robison has reviewed the Saddam tapes recently released and has found lots of evidence that smashes myths peddled by opponents of the war. This is an ongoing project, so be sure to check his site regularly. Some highlights:
Clear evidence of nuclear cover up!
ISGQ—2003—M0004932 page 6
This meeting with Saddam is probably in 2001 based on the conversation about U.N. inspections. The briefer tells Saddam that three scientists arrested in Germany are a problem. It comes up again here:
"We still have two issues Sir (Saddam—RR). Very simple. What the doctor said about the experts. There held in Germany. They have detailed knowledge of our weaponry. So we should go and give the information that they gave already."
So three scientist are arrested in Germany and the briefer recomends that they come clean with what those men knew. In 2001 or close to it, Iraq was still keeping secrets about its nuclear program! After ten years of inspections, minus the 4 years the inspectors were kicked out that is, they were hiding WMD information.
And
Saddam admits to inaccurate WMD report, can't admit to U.N. because of Iran WMD attack
ISGQ—2003—M0004666 page 13
After admitting to gassing the Iranians, Saddam says that Iraq can't meet the UN requirement to account for all chemical weapons because they used some and lied about it, therefor, they couldn't account for the missing weapons:
"So in all your programs (evidence—RR) that you present in Chemical (UN chemical inspection team—RR) there still will be a gap, and whenever he (Rolf Ekeus—UN inspector—RR) wants to raise it.....between the imported data (declaration of how much chemical precursors Iraq imported—RR) and the weapons produced and the destroyed, there is going to be a gap a number of weapons used in Iran you guys didn't cover."
Saddam was trapped in a web of his own deceit. Iraq could never account for the weapons to end the inspections and American belief that he had WMD because we knew they were missing some and Iraq couldn't say why. Poetic justice anyone? I think I hear the ghosts of Halabja cheering as I type.