LA TImes on the Missing Explosives

[jefferson_dem]

<SNIP>

The timing of the theft was in dispute Monday. One Pentagon (news - web sites) official said that when U.S. forces advancing toward Baghdad reached the Al Qaqaa military facility in early April 2003, the weapons cache was already gone. He suggested that the Americans had no chance to safeguard the material, which had been labeled and was being monitored by United Nations (news - web sites) weapons inspectors.


"It had already been looted by the time U.S. forces went through there," the senior Defense official said. "When the troops went in, they never saw anything that was tagged."


Some cast doubt on the Pentagon's claim. Given the size of the missing cache, it would have been difficult to relocate undetected before the invasion, when U.S. spy satellites were monitoring activity at sites suspected of concealing nuclear and biological weapons.


"You don't just move this stuff in the middle of the night," said a former U.S. intelligence official who worked in Baghdad.


EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

<SNIP>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20041026/ts_latimes/whitehousedownplaysmissingiraqexplosives

[xultar]

1. Again, like I said before, US Troops were on the ground guarding the oil

fields 2 to 3 days before the bullshit Sh-lack and Awe-ful.

If they had guarded the ammo like they guarded the oil we wouldn't be in this mess.

WHO LET THE BOMBS OUT!!! BUSH! BUSH! BUSH! BUSH!

[slor]

3. LOL..."WHO LET THE BOMBS OUT!!! BUSH! BUSH! BUSH! BUSH"

That is a good one!

[truthpusher]

2. How stupid is everybody...

...The point is, they kicked out the inspectors. That is why they are gone.

I want to know how soon we started guarding the oil ministry. I will not be surprised if it was before we got to al-Qaqaa.

[billybob537]

4. Josh Marshall

Covers all aspects of this story.
It's worth reading.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

[jefferson_dem]

5. I've been there. I'm just reporting on the reporting of the story,

which is *almost* as important as the story itself.

[Moderator]

6. jefferson_dem

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.


Thank you.

DU Moderator

[jefferson_dem]

7. My apologies. I will be more careful next time.

[Fluffdaddy]

8. Toxic Drudge -- why Iraq missing weapons knockdown is a fraud. Proof

Facts not spin


http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/


October 25, 2004
Toxic Drudge -- why Iraq missing weapons knockdown is a fraud

http://www.pnionline.com/dnblog/extra/