Israeli military boss claims Iraq had chemical weapons

[Judi Lynn]

Israeli military boss claims Iraq had chemical weapons
26/04/2004 - 10:47:04

Iraq had chemical weapons and the means to deliver them ahead of last year’s US-led invasion, Israel’s military chief claimed in an interview published today.

Iraq may have transferred the weapons to Syria or buried them in desert sands, said Lieut General Moshe Yaalon, speaking a month after a parliamentary investigation criticised Israeli intelligence gathering on Iraq.

The parliamentary report found that Israeli warnings that Saddam Hussein could launch weapons of mass destruction were based on speculation and that Israeli authorities had little evidence to support this belief.

In today’s interview in the Yediot Ahronot newspaper, Yaalon said that before the war, Iraq had developed the ability to fit planes with chemical weapons that could have been used against Israel.
(snip/...)

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=102060772&p=yxzx6y478

:crazy: :silly:

(This may be a registration required site.)

[maddezmom]

1. Report: WMD claims based on speculation

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/specialreports/iraq/s_186802.html

I'll look for another link, but I remembered reading that the info that Israel gave the US was not credible.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Good one, and thanks. Here's a tiny one which also doubts them.

Jerusalem-AP -- Israel's military chief says Iraq had chemical weapons -- and the ability to deliver them to Israel -- ahead of last year's U-S-led invasion.

The Israeli official is quoted by an Israeli newspaper as saying Iraq might have transferred the weapons to Syria or buried them in the desert. Those remarks come a month after a parliamentary investigation criticized Israeli intelligence-gathering on Iraq.

The parliamentary report found that Israeli warnings that Saddam Hussein could launch weapons of mass destruction were based on speculation -- and that Israeli authorities had little evidence to support this belief.
(snip)

http://www.whnt19.com/Global/story.asp?S=1813403

It all appears that with _Bush it was never really necessary there was ANY evidence, as his intention never had much to do with actual defense, anyway.

What a shame to have such scum making decisions which actually affect the lives of other people.

[LeftHander]

11. And if you don't believe them they will kill you....

<eom>

[maddezmom]

12. The parliament?

huh?

[Devils Advocate NZ]

2. Bollocks...

If the Iraqis had them and moved them, they DEFINITELY would have been found, thanks to "spy" satellites, and JSTARS aircraft.

Here is a description of JSTARS:

The E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) is a long-range, air-to-ground surveillance system designed to locate, classify and track ground targets in all weather conditions. As an airborne battle management and command and control platform, it conducts ground surveillance to develop an understanding of the enemy's situation and to support attack operations and targeting that contributes to the delay, disruption and destruction of enemy forces.

While flying in friendly airspace, the joint Army-Air Force program can look deep behind hostile borders to detect and track ground movements in both forward and rear areas. It has a range of more than 150 miles (250km). These capabilities make "Joint STARS" effective for dealing with any contingency, whether actual or impending military aggression, international treaty verification, or border violation.
http://www.strategic-air-command.com/aircraft/command/e-8c-joint_stars.htm

They have been monitoring Iraq for over a decade with aircraft such as these and with satellites. The is no way in HELL they could take WMDS into the desert or to Syria without the US knowing about it.

[ze_dscherman]

3. WTF???

No plane took off, nor were any chemical weapons used during the war, nor were any weapons or facilities to produce them (you won't cook the quantities needed to be weaponized in your kitchen) detected in the year after.

So this guy keeps telling that Iraq produced forbidden weapons, circumvented inspections and then sent them to Syria exactly in the situation when they could be needed most?

Just another propaganda effort on justifying an unjust war, and to smear Syria.

BTW, Yaalon is right in some way. Iraq had developed chemical weapons ready to be dropped from a plane, and used large amounts of them during the Iraq-Iran war. But then it was an ally, protecting the rich Gulf states, Israel and the Western civilization from the Iranian Ayatollahs ...

[sniffa]

5. i'm sure americans won't question it

and give the green Light for a pre-emptive strike to protect us.

[Wickerman]

6. And we listen to great minds like this

we, as a country are fucked. This is the kind of noise most people hear and believe.

Come on, folks, take it another step. Saddam knew his rule was coming to an end with this invasion. Dontcha think he might've used these weapons for their intended purpose when they were needed most rather than squirrel them away somewhere? Critical thinking skills required.

And, as was eloquently stated and sourced - this "scheme" has been beaten to death and the press still gives it column inches.

[radwriter0555]

7. israel... israel, israel... hmmm... yes, that's IT, bush's PIMPS who

are also destroying palestine in their brutal land grab.

They're ALMOST as credible as the bush regime!!!!

[oblivious]

8. Thanks for the links

1. Ireland-on-line is dishonest. Look at the headline and opener:

<snip> Israeli military boss claims Iraq had chemical weapons
26/04/2004 - 10:47:04

Iraq had chemical weapons and the means to deliver them ahead of last year?s US-led invasion, Israel?s military chief claimed in an interview published today. <snip>

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=102060772&p=yxzx6y478

Only later in the article, do we find out that this was speculation.


AP appears to have produced two articles, one honest, one dishonest.
2. misleading - look at the headline and opener of this News19 report:

<snip> Israeli military chief: Iraq had chemical weapons
Jerusalem-AP -- Israel's military chief says Iraq had chemical weapons -- and the ability to deliver them to Israel -- ahead of last year's U-S-led invasion. <snip>

http://www.whnt19.com/Global/story.asp?S=1813403

Only in the 2nd last paragraph do they give us the truth about it being speculation.

3. Here is an honest headline and opener from PittsbughLive:

Report: WMD claims based on speculation

JERUSALEM (AP) -- A claim by Israeli intelligence that Iraq probably had weapons of mass destruction was based largely on speculation, not fact, parliamentary investigators said in a report Sunday. They dismissed suggestions that Israel tried to push its Western allies to war.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/specialreports/iraq/s_186802.html


Readers just scanning headlines would have been left with a totally different impression reading the first two compared to the third. I conclude that Ireland-0n-line and Channel 19 are scum.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. No, read the articles again

I understand that English may not be your first language, coming from Hong Kong, so please read them carefully.

The military chief is still claiming that Iraq definitely had chemical weapons. Both the Ireland Online and Channel 19 stories say this. Then then both point out that the Israeli Parliament concluded last month that this was just speculation. This is what the Pittsburgh Tribune Review story said, last month.

What this means is that the general disagrees with his parliament. Please don't leap to the conclusion that people are 'scum'.

[tinnypriv]

16. Eh?

Israel has been claiming this for a while in interviews in the Hebrew press.

For example, to quote an interview with the head of IDF military intelligence (Farkash, the guy Ya'alon goes to):

"From all the material in our hands, I can say that Iraq continued, even after the expulsion of the UN inspectors, to maintain its residual capability ... I am speaking about tens of launchers and tens of missiles and several chemical and biological warheads. They hid them or they transferred them to another location. In the end, (the US) will get to them." ¹

This was in response to a question by the reporter: "Can you say assuredly if Iraq did or did not have weapons of mass destruction?"

So as you can see, none of the articles you disparage are "dishonest", or "scum", and you would do well to find out the facts about an issue before flying off the handle. :eyes:

-----

1. Yediot Aharonot, 11 April 2004.

[mhr]

9. Planes, Planes? What Air Force Is This Man Babbling About

Since the US was overflying Iraq for a decade, Iraq didn't have an effective Air Force to speak of! This man is spouting propaganda.

[0007]

10. The wise 'Ole monkey man spews his propaganda from the tree tops

....is there any question that the U.S. will dispute this garbage? Like Chalabi and his lies, we believe 'em all.

[Tinoire]

13. The Likud never stops! My God. SRFU already! n/t

[tinnypriv]

15. They claimed this

About two weeks ago, in the same paper.

That time it was Farkash, IDF military intelligence.