Home » Politics & Society » Middle East Politics » Smoking Guns and Other Thoughts

Smoking Guns and Other Thoughts

© lawhawk

It’s showdown at the UN Secretariat today, February 5, 2003, as US Secretary of State Colin Powell is expected to present evidence of Iraq’s continuing breach of UN resolutions and obligations to account for and eliminate all weapons of mass destruction and other restricted weapons systems. It is entirely possible we will see new and breathtaking images of Iraq’s continued violations of UN resolutions, although as some have pointed out, it might not be a good idea since it would enable other nations to gauge US capabilities and plan around them. Releasing transcripts of intercepted transmissions might bring about the loss of vital information in the future due to giving away weaknesses in certain communications systems or loss of intelligence agents who procured the information.

We have seen over the last few months how the Iraqi regime continues to claim that they are the ones wronged by the UN and specifically the US. However, each time they gain the slightest amount of traction in the international press, a revelation about how the Iraqis have banned systems crops up. First were the 12 missile warheads that were located that were capable of accepting chemical agents for use. Then came additional disclosures from the Iraqis that they found additional warheads on their own. Then there was another warhead found by UN inspectors.

Meanwhile, the US and Britain claim that the Iraqi government is blocking true inspections, by keeping pressure on Iraqi scientists who could potentially spill the beans about banned weapons programs. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has argued the Iraqis have go so far as to cause motor vehicle accidents slowing down inspectors on the way to inspect various facilities while the Iraqi government spirits away the incriminating materials and documents that would prove that the Iraqis are violating the agreements.

Also, the UN has been prevented from using US U-2 spy planes to evaluate various sites from the air. Iraq has claimed that the US would be engaging in espionage and has suggested that the only way the U-2 planes could fly in the UN inspector missions is if the no-fly zones established by the US are eliminated.

That is not going to happen; the US and Britain are committed to continuing the no-fly zones, which they argue are sanctioned under resolutions stemming from the cease-fire agreements ending the Gulf War in 1991.

Elsewhere, the news is reporting that the individual responsible for giving two hijackers involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks false identification was released after agreeing to a plea bargain arrangement. The individual claimed that he did not know that the individuals were involved in terrorist activities, nor did he know the individuals prior to requesting the false identification.

The copyright of the article Smoking Guns and Other Thoughts in Middle East Politics is owned by lawhawk. Permission to republish Smoking Guns and Other Thoughts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.