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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: zonder who wrote (67651)	2/6/2003 12:25:42 PM
From: runes	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 70976

RE: the date of that report is critical <It was announced yesterday.> But when was it written! Such reports usually have to be circulated internally for approval, then through the administration, then through the parliment. It finally gets to the public when there is a political reason for releasing it. Level of atrocities - as I said - shades of grey. I don't believe that the PPK did a dramatic mass slaughter of 3000 unsuspecting civilians from out of the blue. The large casualty figures you site are the result of years of ongoing conflict. Such an attack could give Sadam pretext for a war - not really - the US already has UN resolution 1368 authorizing them to "... to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers, and sponsors" of the WTC attack. IF this camp is in fact an Al Qaida affiliate then it is already Internationally sanctioned (i.e. we are already at war with Al Qaida)) On a more practical note - Sadam is trying to avoid a war with the US. So he would howl about it but he would go no further. What deterred Turkey. Post Gulf war, Turkey has been prevented by international pressure (aa the "coalition" doesn't want to be caught in the middle of a civil war). But prior to that Turkey knew that a massive incursion into Iraq would give Sadam the right, under international law, to retaliate. That is enough to make any nation think twice - including the US. The world would not be a safer place thereafter - look at the Israeli raid on the Iraqi nuclear reactor. Internationally condemned but there are few today, given IRaq's subsequent behaviors, who would not agree that the benefits didn't outweigh the costs. Furrthermore - as I pointed out yesterday, the US does have UN approval to go after Al-Qaida - Message 18540010 On a more practical note - Powell testified today in front of the Senate foreign relations committee that, in fact, the US did plan such an attack but decided to not go through with it. However he declined to give the reason in a declassified setting. My guess is that they prefer to use it to build the case against Iraq (which speaks volumes about the administration's motives) As for the Kuwaiti PR - such is the way of life in the US. Truth is frequently sacrificed to imagery and emotionalism. And likewise throughout the world. Beyond that is the question of the soundness of the intel. But, if you notice, the reason why I am willing to accept this particular info is because it should be verified or denied by other foreign agencies. So far I have not heard anything either way but then the focus is on the WMD/inspections. So I will wait a few days to see how it is digested.