On 7 Aug 2002 at 1:31, Hermit wrote:
>
> Detailed war plan handed to Bush
>
> UN critic says attack decision has been made
>
> Source: The Guardian
> (http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,770374,00.html) Authors:
> Duncan Campbell Dated: 2002-08-07
>
> General Tommy Franks, who would lead a US military action in Iraq, has
> presented President George Bush with refinements of a plan for attack.
> Gen Franks, who led the US military operation in Afghanistan,
> presented the latest version and its potential consequences to the
> White House on Monday.
>
> "This is deadly serious stuff," the former UN chief weapons inspector
> Scott Ritter, an outspoken critic of the war plans, said yesterday.
> "He is not briefing about a cricket match. He is briefing about war
> options."
>
> Mr Ritter, a marine corps veteran and Republican, said he was in no
> doubt that the Bush administration was committed to military action.
> "I keep hearing from people that they are bluffing. They are not
> bluffing. The Bush administration is going to go to war come hell or
> high water. The decision has been made."
>
> Mr Ritter, the author of Endgame: Solving the Iraqi Problem Once and
> For All, said that military units were being mobilised, actions that
> had not been taken since the Gulf war. Gen Franks was not presenting a
> plan, as was being reported, but "refinements" to the existing plan.
>
> The Bush administration continued to dismiss offers from Iraq for UN
> inspectors to return. The defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, mocked
> the idea of US congressmen visiting the country for a three weeks with
> experts of their choice.
>
> "I can't think of anything funnier than a handful of congressmen
> walking around," said Mr Rumsfeld. "They'd have to be there for the
> next 50 years trying to find something. It's a joke."
>
> The US war plan is believed to involve the deployment of around 50,000
> troops in initial stages. Many US politicians believe that as many as
> 250,000 troops might eventually be needed. Few politicians are
> prepared to voice scepticism about a war on Iraq.
>
> "This isn't American democracy in action," said Mr Ritter. "It's the
> failure of American democracy. Before we go to war with Iraq, we must
> be able to determine that Iraq poses a threat to the national security
> of the US. Such a determination must be backed up with substantive
> fact. I believe that Iraq does not pose a threat to the US worthy of
> war. This conclusion is shared by many senior military officers."
>
It's HammerTime!
>
> ----
> This message was posted by Hermit to the Virus 2002 board on Church of
> Virus BBS.
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> id=25972>
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