maybe; maybe not

Submitted by john w mcginley (United States), Apr 25, 2006 at 15:40

What you report from the publication is fascinating and intriguing. Even if true I suspect it is only part of the truth. Perhaps what I am suggesting gives too much credit to Hussein. then again maybe not.

President Bush dithered precious months away from September of 2002 (the time of his speech to the UN) and March of 2003. The time to attack was in early October. Instead we broadcast our intentions for about six months giving time for Hussein to plan a strategy. Part of the strategy came back to haunt us after President Bush's "Mission accomplished" blather on a Navy carrier in May of 2003. Hussein understood the futility of trying a direct defense against the overwhelming power of our ground and air forces. They strategically retreated back to enclaves from which they planned and then actuated a war of attrition. Eventually they were suplemented by and then more or less replaced by terrorist groups which slipped into the country. But this war of attrition still goes on and may prove to have the last laugh as an Iraqi civil war breaks the country into three separate mini-countries.

During the time-period from September to March -- as we were repeatedly broadcasting our intentions -- Hussein realized that his usage of chemical and biological weapons ((he did not, of course, have any nuclear capability)) would visit upon his population a ruinous response. So he managed to sell those stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons to Iran. ((the enemy of my enemy is my friend.)) He and his family kept most of the money. Many of those materials reached Iran controlled Hisbollah and remain there to this day.

The above is compatible and complementary with the broad outlines of what you report from that publication. It is credible to bleieve that nobody at all knew the extent of the Weapons of Mas Destruction. But it is not credible that Iraq had noe. One thing is for sure. We should not broadcast our intentions to Iran if we decide to disable their nuclear capacity. Just do it and do it with enough force to get the job done. It 'twere to be done at all, tis better 'twere done quickly.

John W. McGinley

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