U.S. troops uncover one of their biggest weapons caches in Saddam's hometo

[jamesinca]

U.S. troops uncover one of their biggest weapons caches in Saddam's hometown

PATRICK QUINN, Associated Press Writer Saturday, September 27, 2003

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(09-27) 11:58 PDT TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) --

U.S. troops uncovered one of their biggest weapons caches to date Saturday at a farm near Saddam Hussein's birthplace, including anti-aircraft missiles and a huge quantity of explosives used to make the homemade bombs that have killed numerous American soldiers.

In the second raid in as many days on a farm near the village of Uja, where Saddam was born and the site of a recent bomb attack against American soldiers, U.S. troops acting on a tip dug through the soft earth near a river bank and found the cache underneath a covering of reeds and straw.

"This is a significant discovery because everything we take out of the enemy's hands can't be used against us," said Maj. Mike Rauhut, executive officer of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment.

The cache turned up 23 Russian-made surface to air missiles, 1,000 pounds of plastic explosives, four rocket propelled grenade launchers and 115 rockets, a mortar and 40 mortar rounds, 1,300 blasting caps and 423 hand grenades


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/09/27/international1458EDT0558.DTL

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I guess if you consider how many Americans have died from these things, in some way they can be called the WMD we were looking for over there.

[mhr]

1. Conventional Arms, Not WMDs

eom

[jamesinca]

2. That is exactly what they are

I agree. But so far it is the closest thing we have found and it is in NO WAY a justifiction for this war.

[moof]

3. wouldn't this all fit in a full sized pick up truck?

23 Russian-made surface to air missiles, 1,000 pounds of plastic explosives, four
rocket propelled grenade launchers and 115 rockets, a mortar and 40 mortar rounds, 1,300 blasting caps
and 423 hand grenades

"U.S. troops uncovered one of their biggest weapons caches to date"

sounds like hype if this the largest to date

[ClintonTyree]

6. Exactly..............

the Bushies are reaching for anything to support their failed policy. I'm glad they found them, it may save the lives of a few of our soldiers. However, this is nowhere near what the Bushies have told us were there. These weapons would supply a U.S. Squad for about one day.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Faux Trumpets Massive Weapons Find...

Right now this regime will take any good news that it can...especially dealing with Saddam. Next to finally finding him (doesn't Rove have that slated for October, 2004???)any "military victory"...especially on a Sunday morning will give the GOOP spinsters some cover from yet another week of bad news and the strong prospects a worse week is ahead.

Now I don't think it'd take an Eisenhower to figure that if Saddam was going to stash weapons...and lots of them...to hold a last stand, it'd be in his hometown? I remember our vaunted Pentagon Chickenhawks saying so in the days after the occupation of Baghdad (on of the few times I heard them refer to the town prior to that date). This isn't just since Saddam knew for the past 12 years, and especially in the last 2, he was in the U.S. crosshairs...or at worst, it'd be his last stand against Iranians or his "fellow" Iraqis. Such a tough job being a detested dictator! The question isn't, how many weapons there were and the types they were. It's why it took so long to find them? You have to figure there's still a lot more out there, taking aim on anything American or European.

Also, assuming this was Saddam's last refuge, if he did have any WMDs, wouldn't this be the place he'd have and use them? Oh, that's right, I forgot to check today's Chickenhawk talking points..."Saddam's scientists were lying to him that there weren't any WMDS"...yeah, that's the ticket!

[saigon68]

7. FAUX NEWS = GOEBELS MINISTRY OF TRUTH

Every time I hear about something on Faux News, I am convinced more than ever before, that it is the Official Propaganda Ministry of the "Corporate" Republican Party. (PMCRP)

Faux almost appears to "invent" the news. Or at least that's what they call their invention--- "News".

Well people, Faux doesn't report NEWS, they distribute PROPAGANDA for the weak in mind and spirit, for their corporate masters.

[izzie]

5. I keep hearing that. Every two weeks that is in the paper.

How many 'biggest' have they found now?:think:

[trapper914]

8. The Media Only Reports the Bad News

How many times have we heard this from right wingers over the past few months? Hello? AP Story. I know it was carried in the Indianapolis Star this morning. It's not exactly as big as "building soccer fields," but it's good news in Iraq reported by the so-called "liberal media."

[davsand]

9. "Biggest weapons cache"= 4 rubber bands and 200 spit wads...

When you look at what they've found and compare it to what we accused them of having it is pathetic. I have to wonder if the US will ever regain any credibility in the world's eyes.

Laura

[tlcandie]

10. We should all be so lucky to have this much stashed away

if we decide to rebel within our own country against this mess! I'm waiting for the removal of all males within fighting/recrutiment/ enlistment age within the US. Once they are all signed up, in military areas, or shipped out then *co/Assrot will turn on the military shutdown within our own country from some big terrorist scheme and all that will be left will be women, children, and old men to fight.

Maybe we should get some shovels, eh?

[leesa]

11. Don't even pretend they are WMD

Iraq is certainly allowed to defend itself against invaders.

[The Magistrate]

12. Every Little Cache Come To Light, Sir

Will be trumpeted as "the largest seizure". There have, in fact, been more sizeable hauls than this one made previously.

[pw]

13. If only they were taking it out of enemy hands

Previous reports have talked about how lousy the security is on captured ammunition and explosive dumps, to the point where people are walking in and out even as reporters are there.

They're just moving the stuff to a nice centralized, well-cataloged location.

[Barrett808]

14. "A small dent on their ability to resist"

It's interesting that Maj. Rauhut acknowledges a "resistance" and realistically describes this find as a "small" victory.

[NickB79]

15. Yeah, like they can't smuggle 10X that much into Iraq in one day

You take a country the size of California with NO border security left, surrounded by countries filled with people sympathetic to their cause of fighting the US invaders, and just see fast they can replenish their stocks. Shades of Vietnam, with the almost daily bombing/rebuilding of NVA supply lines comes to mind.