Things are moving fast on the missing explosives story. Drudge has the siren out and he is behind.
The Russians probably moved the explosives, the Department of Defense has satellite images that might prove it AND Mohamed ElBaradei might have mislead the United Nations Security council about the amount of explosives missing. And for good measure we learn the bunkers were never really sealed!
First, from the Washington Times
Russia tied to Iraq’s missing arms
By Bill GertzRussian special forces troops moved many of Saddam Hussein’s weapons and related goods out of Iraq and into Syria in the weeks before the March 2003 U.S. military operation, The Washington Times has learned.
John A. Shaw, the deputy undersecretary of defense for international technology security, said in an interview that he believes the Russian troops, working with Iraqi intelligence, “almost certainly” removed the high-explosive material that went missing from the Al-Qaqaa facility, south of Baghdad.
“The Russians brought in, just before the war got started, a whole series of military units,” Mr. Shaw said. “Their main job was to shred all evidence of any of the contractual arrangements they had with the Iraqis. The others were transportation units.”
Financial Times Russians
Go Paul Go. Wizbang and LGFB and INDC I am counting on ya for the low down on the Putin.
Well, looks like Jay Tea pulled it off, again. Good work Jay!
Just heard the story on Greta Van Susteren! I’m glad to see that you’re on the story. This doesn’t look good for the Kerry campaign at all!
It’s you, Jay. It’s all you. hehehe
Want more on a cache of weapons? Go to LGF!!!!
oh yeah, not bad yourself, Paul. lol
Cheers!
All I can say is, they’d better be right.
If they are, Kerry is finished. If they aren’t, Bush is…
Kerry is done, were are all the koolaid drinkers now? P.S. Boston is winning, Bush might even carry New York now lol.
Tread lightly! This guy better not make W. look like a clown. Must see evidence. Is it me or is the Times web server not responding?
http://www.dod.mil/releases/2004/nr20040810-1103.html
DoD Statement on Jack Shaw and the Iraq Telecommunications Contract
For several months there have been allegations in the press that activities of John A. Shaw, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for International Technology Security, were under investigation by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense (DoD IG). The allegations were examined by DoD IG criminal investigators in Baghdad and a criminal investigation was never opened.
Furthermore, attempts to discredit Shaw and his report on Iraqi telecommunications contracting matters were brought to the attention of the DoD IG and were accordingly referred to the FBI.
Shaw carried out his duties in the investigation of Iraqi telecommunications matters pursuant to the authorities spelled out in the Memorandum of Understanding between the DoD IG and the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. Shaw provided a copy of his report to the DOD IG and, at the request of the Coalition Provisional Authority, to the Iraqi National Communications and Media Commission.
Shaw is not now, nor has he ever been, under investigation by the DoD IG. Any questions concerning FBI activities should be addressed to the FBI.
Hmmmmmmm…. This is better than the story about sKerry and the NVA in Paris and its current news that sKerry is promoting himself. He can’t flip away from this one, he’s seared to it.
MSNBC just broke in and is now reporting this story…….Kerry is screwed.
If the guy said this, and it’s not true, it is the end for the President. I hope it’s true.
The allegation is a (literal) bombshell. They have Shaw and at least one other defense official concerning the story. And there seems to be a lot of detail.
It seems entirely possible that the Administration knew this, and didn’t go public because of the diplomatic repercussions.
It sounds like they are challenging the Russians to deny the story.
Josh
Micah
Marshall
WE CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
seems like most of the information came from foriegn intelligence officials, so hopefully shaw is not just blowing smoke. i hope its atleast the brits and not the french and germans.
“Mr. Shaw said foreign intelligence officials believe the Russians worked with Saddam’s Mukhabarat intelligence service to separate out special weapons, including high explosives and other arms and related technology, from standard conventional arms spread out in some 200 arms depots. “
Bush just needs to release the space photos, slam dunk. Once the MSM sees its over they will pickup on the rest of the stories they have been sitting on and bury kerry. His service, going to paris, ortega, voting record, all the lies, the big dig, etc etc.
I’m updating like a fool! Somebody stop me!
I think by this weekend the Russians will be ‘fessing up to moving Saddam’s WMDs.
This is actually a better angle imho.
Discrepancy Found in Explosives Amounts
The IAEA documents could mean that 138 tons of explosives were removed from the facility long before the start of the United States launched “Operation Iraqi Freedom” in March 2003.
Why all the cheering? The folks that are going to vote six or seven times aren’t reading or listening to you. rather won’t report the truth and kerry still wins.
Brad
Let me ammend my post. It’s a more accessible angle on disproving Kerry’s irrational claims. Meaning it will be easier for the general public to accept that the amount was overstated from the beginning.
The other story is certainly juicer and goes a mighty long way in explaining things. Like why the “allies” rejected our insistance on toppling Sadamm. Why it was absolutely essential that we did topple Sadamm. It has Kerry screaming about deadly weapons in Iraq while simultaneously trashing the troops and siding with the UN. It’s everything wrapped up nice and neat.
Have the Washington Times’ servers melted? I’m not able to access them. Anyone?
The media spin over the next 2 days will be key. It is possible the Kerry campaign is officially done.
She (kerry) has been scratching at anything that itches, and it looks like she may have picked a bleeder, can’t stop the bleeding.
Expect John Kerry to be talking about the Red Sox a lot tomorrow (and a tad reticent on the WoT…)
Tomorrow’s Washington Times features an article by Bill Gertz in which John A. Shaw, the deputy undersecretary of defense for international technology security, says that Russian troops “almost certainly” helped Saddam’s men clean the Al Qaqaa site out before the Iraq War started.
We’ll have more on this tomorrow. One way or another, it appears clear that the 380 tons of explosives that are now “missing” were moved by Saddam prior to the start of the war. I suppose the point is too obvious to be worth making, but 380 tons is a lot of material–approximately 38 semi-truck loads. Yet it has, apparently, completely disappeared, probably because it was shipped to Syria before the war started. Do you suppose that, whereever the 380 tons are now, there might be a little extra room for some vials of anthrax, sarin, nerve gas, etc.?
DEACON adds: If Shaw’s version, as reported by the Washington Times, holds up and (as importantly) gets heard, the consequences for Kerry could be serious. The Senator will have (a) jumped to a conclusion that wasn’t supported by the facts, (b) assumed the incompetence of our troops, (c) confirmed President Bush’s position that Iraq had weapons worth worrying about, and (d) unleashed evidence that, as Rocket Man notes, suggests that chemical and biological weapons could easily have been moved out of Iraq just before we invaded. In light of the final point, though, what puzzles me is this: if the Defense Department has evidence that the Russians helped clean out Alqaqaa, why haven’t we heard about this before now (or did I just miss it). Evidence that Iraqi weapons, any weapons, were moved out of the country by the Russians would have been helpful to the administration long before now. Maybe we learned about it recently, as relations with Russia have improved.
http://powerlineblog.com/archives/008341.php
they moved the story because the servers were melting… here’s the new URL:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20041028-122637-6257r.htm
This exposure is great but the truth is the thrust of the original story magnified by repetitve publication and airing is simply being confronted by a complicated maze of information unclear to the average Joe. The fog will never lift by election day.
Advantage Kerry. As planned.
Kerry’s can of worms – so many worms, so little time…!
God Bless the Bloggers! I have just begun to follow Wizbang and I am convinced there is a new revolution going on in America. A revolution challenging the MSM to get it right, or get left behind! This whole election cycle has brought it to the front and people who love the truth are holding the feet of the MSM to the fire.
The NYtimes will never go under!! Not as long as there are bird cages to line, dead fish to wrap, and stressed out working Moms allowing their households to run our of Toilet Paper….
I missed the last forty hours on the internet due to “network outage” of undefined nature…too many sites just timing out, couldn’t access Blogger, it was terrible (not my local service, either).
ANYWAY, by now I have a wild projection but also something that might make for a rosey topping to a Bush Second Term:
Pooty-Poot reveals that he was aiding and abetting the U.S. by preventing Saddam Hussein from being fully armed by the time the U.S. forces arrived in Iraq. Thus, Russia is the good allie, he and Bush maintain trust, world is safe, Kerry is arrested and charged with war crimes.