Category: Iraqi War

Seems that the US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, travelled to Iraq in 1983 in order to normalise relations with Saddam. This was at a time when Saddam was using chemical weapons in defiance of international conventions. Anthrax and bubonic plague were also sent to Saddam under the Reagan and later the Bush Snr administrations. A very good article, and nice to finally read one like this in the Washington Post

The Deputy Defence Secretary in the US, Paul Wolfowitz writes an article in defence of US strategic planning with regard to Iraq. He does not believe that they are being blaze about how difficult an invasion will be. Interesting insight into his thought though, he has a painting of Antietam hung in his office.

Live fire exercises in Kuwait, Pentagon plans to invade from the North and South of Iraq, and the number of US troops in the region will double to 100,000 within weeks. Now I do not think anyone doubts it will happen, question is, is it right?

Tom Friedman writes about the war that nobody wants, except the US. A delegation will visit Saddam in the next few weeks to try and persuade him to reveal his weapons (if there are any) and to cooperate. But I doubt it will work. The US, or should I say the top people in the US administration, want him out, come hell or high water. It is important we maintain a distinction, overall the US public do not back the war.

For the last couple of months I have been saying that the war on Iraq will happen, and that all the hooplah over UN inspections was nothing more than a prelude to the inevitable. And so it seems I, and many others, may have been proven right. What Iraq says or does not say is immaterial, war was going to happen no matter what they did. So we are all locked and loaded for January 27 2003?

An excellently written piece by Brian Whitaker on how the US media is playing its role in the build up to war with Iraq. One of the best articles I have read in recent weeks.

Robert Fisk wrote an excellent article I just came across, from last weeks Independent. He presents a clear and concise view of US strategy and I fully agree with his sentiments. War is on schedule for late Jan, early Feb. Watch out innocent civilians, bombs will fly.

Bill Emmott writes a rather hawkish piece in the Guardian today. A quick word search will show you that no where in his article is the word ‘oil’ mentioned. I think that this word is pivotal to any planned invasion of Iraq. It is interesting that this aspect of the war is not being played up as much as in the last one, but I think it is a crucial part of American rationale.

Iraq today accepted a unanimous security council resolution for the return of weapons inspectors, Iraq’s ambassador to the UN said. Ambassador Mohammed Al-Douri said he had delivered a letter unconditionally accepting the resolution to the office of the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan. The letter was delivered two days before a UN-mandated deadline.

What strikes me is that under the resolution Saddam must declare all weapons of mass destruction to the UN by Dec 8th. If he does not, America will invade. Well Saddam has already said they possess no such weapons. So expect to see the invasion early next year.

Simon Tisdall writes a very good piece in today’s Guardian. He writes exactly how I feel on this subject. You can read it here.