Truly amazing...
DrJones,
It surprises me that you continue this debate. Why? Becasue it is obvious that Don is going to report the same positive negatives and then retract them at his leisure
I liked the question regarding the radio activity found in the secret underground lab. A question that no one has even addressed is what reason there would there be for anything radioactive in a secret underground facility, in a country without a nuclear facility? Were they baking cookies? Working on building the worlds finest microwave oven? Or just fancying the idea of a great tanning booth?
Typically people with no harmful intent do not keep radioactive material in their basement or at least not around here that I'm aware of, regardless of "how radio active it is" Early on once our troops were in Bagdad there was a sealed room where radio active levels were so high they couldn't send anyone in until it had been cleared. So as I've asked what did they need the radio active material for? It surely wasn't a biproduct or waste product from nuclear power production.
Skunkape said:
"...The lasting impression is that we have found WMDs. Just look at the the beliefs of the intelligent people in this one thread alone. People actually believe that WMDs were discovered in Iraq. Heck, there was even one person who still believed the baby-incubator story."
Hmmm. I consider myself an intelligent person and yet I can't think of an instance where I've believed anything other than the facts of the matter. I'm smart enough to know that many things are not being reported for security reasons and I'm okay with that. I figure that the folks incharge of the operation probably have a little more intelligence on the subject, as well as training, than I do. So instead of being an armchair General "out of the loop" I'll defer to the real Generals' expertise in the matter. After all they are the ones fighting the war and they are there to see these things first hand. All we get are the video feeds and limited at that.
Don,
"drjones, are you claiming the Iraqis had a working nuclear reactor when we attacked?..."
Maybe my eyes screwed up while I was reading but I don't recall seeing DrJones state anything of the kind. BUT in all fairness think about your question. What produces nuclear and radioactive material? If you don't have a facility ones self but have the material then one must have access to a facility that produces said material. If one hasn't a facility in which to use radio active materials to produce power then what would its function be? Hair removal?
I'm confused here. Examples;
If I have an assault rifle at home and it's legal for me to own and I store it propperly, some one could still say I have no need for it and shouldn't have it. But I might compete with others at matches and never do anything with it to break the laws regulating the use of firearms.
If I have a basement full of radioactive material (high grade or low grade) mere exposure to this could cause sickness and or death to me and anyone that came in contact with it and perhaps beyond. Not to mention, it wouldn't be legal for me to own it in that capacity.
Saddam had the same stipulations put on him. He could own whatever weapons fell within the confines of the resolutions set by the U.N. to protect himself and his "country" (read-regime) but elected to work outside of those confines.
And finally:
"So, drjones, you think the President is lying for political advantage?!!"
(Snicker...) If I know you're not going to do something, but say that I'll go along with it if you do this is called "calling a bluff." It's not a lie, it's a "bet". I'm betting you're not going to do something and in the case of the president he's got enough sources to tell him who will and won't back a proposal so his "bets" are pretty secure. Instead of saying "I will veto a proposal on this" and turning the ball over to the opposition for political fire, you find out who supports and who doesn't. Once you know there's no backing for the proposal call them on it and you gain credibility when the opposition can't afford to pass the proposal, much like CFR.
This is politics and believe it or not it's played every day of the week in D.C.; Dub's just doing it better than they ever thought he could and he's got several good people around him to help him through it as well. Imagine politics in politics, perish the thought.
Take care folks,
DRC