>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Inspectors Call U.S. Tips 'Garbage' >Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 19:33:31 EST > >Habib Diab, > >Interesting article in the Washingtom Post you forwarded. >You got it Habib, An American "ruler" until they can drain the oil into >reserves right here in the U.S. >In the meantime, the well connected weapons manufacturers, oil company execs. >and all the other Republican insiders will make a fortune on the misery of >poor people. > >Heres' an article from CBSNews.Com > >Jabou Joh > >Feb. 20, 2003 > >So frustrated have the inspectors become that one source has referred to the >U.S. intelligence they've been getting as "garbage after garbage after >garbage." > >(CBS) While diplomatic maneuvering continues over Turkish bases and a new >United Nations resolution, inside Iraq, U.N. arms inspectors are privately >complaining about the quality of U.S. intelligence and accusing the United >States of sending them on wild-goose chases. > >CBS News Correspondent Mark Phillips reports the U.N. has been taking a >precise inventory of Iraq's al-Samoud 2 missile arsenal, determining how many >there are and where they are. > >Discovering that the al-Samoud 2 has been flying too far in tests has been >one of the inspectors' major successes. But the missile has only been >exceeding its 93-mile limit by about 15 miles and that, the Iraqis say, is >because it isn't yet loaded down with its guidance system. The al-Samoud 2 is >not the 800-mile-plus range missile that Secretary of State Colin Powell >insists Iraq is developing. > >In fact, the U.S. claim that Iraq is developing missiles that could hit its >neighbors – or U.S. troops in the region, or even Israel – is just one of >the claims coming from Washington that inspectors here are finding >increasingly unbelievable. The inspectors have become so frustrated trying to >chase down unspecific or ambiguous U.S. leads that they've begun to express >that anger privately in no uncertain terms. > >U.N. sources have told CBS News that American tips have lead to one dead end >after another. > >Example: satellite photographs purporting to show new research buildings at >Iraqi nuclear sites. When the U.N. went into the new buildings they found >"nothing." > >Example: Saddam's presidential palaces, where the inspectors went with >specific coordinates supplied by the U.S. on where to look for incriminating >evidence. Again, they found "nothing." > >Example: Interviews with scientists about the aluminum tubes the U.S. says >Iraq has imported for enriching uranium, but which the Iraqis say are for >making rockets. Given the size and specification of the tubes, the U.N. calls >the "Iraqi alibi air tight." > >The inspectors do acknowledge, however, that they would not be here at all if >not for the threat of U.S. military action. > >So frustrated have the inspectors become that one source has referred to the >U.S. intelligence they've been getting as "garbage after garbage after >garbage." In fact, Phillips says the source used another cruder word. The >inspectors find themselves caught between the Iraqis, who are masters at the >weapons-hiding shell game, and the United States, whose intelligence they've >found to be circumstantial, outdated or just plain wrong. > >Meanwhile, the U.S. and Britain are planning to present a new resolution to >the U.N. Security Council on Monday in a bid for support to use force to >disarm Iraq. > >Finishing touches were being put on the resolution on Thursday. Adoption is >by no means assured. A majority of the 15 council members are opposed to war >at least until U.N. weapons inspectors report in mid-March. > >Secretary Powell said a headcount was "academic" because the resolution >demanding Iraqi disarmament had not been put forward. > >Powell, who flies to Japan on Friday for the start of a five-day Asia trip, >juggled resolution diplomacy with stressful negotiations with Turkey, a >potential key ally in any war. > >Turkey is balking at U.S. terms for an economic aid package. Powell, who >interceded on Wednesday with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, said he had told >the Turkish leader "our position was firm with respect to the kind of >assistance we could provide." > >However, Powell said, "there may be some other creative things we can do." > >As for the expected U.N. resolution, the Bush administration sees little >value in extending inspections and much to worry about in Iraq's connection >to al Qaeda and other terror groups. > >One U.S. official said the projected day for presenting the resolution was >Monday but that it could slip a day or two. > >Powell said, "We won't put a resolution down unless we intend to fight for >the resolution, unless we believe we can make the case that it is >appropriate." > >In Baghdad, meanwhile, Iraq allowed another flight by an American U-2 >surveillance plane Thursday as President Saddam Hussein's government sought >to convince the world that it is cooperating with the weapons inspectors. > >In New York, a U.N. spokesman said Iraq also had submitted a list of people >involved in the destruction of banned weapons — a key demand by chief weapons >inspector Hans Blix. > >It was the second flight this week by a U-2 in support of the U.N. inspection >program. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said the plane spent six hours and 20 >minutes over Iraq's territory, searching for evidence of banned weapons. > >In regard to the possible basing of U.S. troops in Turkey, Gul said in Ankara >that a statement would be made on Friday. He did not elaborate. > >Powell did not elaborate on the refinements under consideration, but another >U.S. official said one approach might be to seek a $1 billion congressional >appropriation that would then permit Turkey to obtain loans at preferential >U.S.-government rates for many times that amount. > >Ships carrying equipment for a U.S. infantry division are already at sea. The >United States wants to base tens of thousands of soldiers in Turkey to open a >possible northern front against Iraq. > >The dispute with Turkey is one of many problems the Bush administration has >as it tries to line up support for an attack on Iraq if Saddam doesn't disarm >quickly. > >Implying the United States might deploy troops elsewhere if terms could not >be reached with Turkey, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said "we have to >deal with realities, and we will." > >Meanwhile, President Bush sought to keep the pressure on the Security >Council, telling a suburban Atlanta audience, "Denial and endless delay in >the face of growing danger is not an option." > >The president has said the council risks irrelevance if it does not face up >to Iraq's defiance of more than 10 years of disarmament resolutions. > >Mr. Bush also has said if the council does not approve a second resolution he >is prepared to go to war with a "coalition of the willing" — nations like >Britain that agree with him that Iraq's arsenals of biological and chemical >weapons pose a threat. > >Mr. Bush planned to host Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar of Spain, an ally, >at his Texas ranch Friday and Saturday. Another potential ally, Prime >Minister Simeon Saxcoburggotski of Bulgaria, is due next Tuesday at the White >House. > > > > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~