U.S. May Cut WMD Search

[nonconformist]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-10-29-us-iraq_x.htm


Subject line is headline on USAToday.com homepage

U.S. may reassign Iraq staff for security


WASHINGTON (AP) — As violence has spiraled in Iraq, top U.S. officials have debated pulling intelligence officers off the so-far unsuccessful hunt for weapons of mass destruction and reassigning them to counterinsurgency efforts, officials said Wednesday.

The United States already is planning to recruit more Iraqis to gather information about opposition fighters and may increase security measures to protect troops, President Bush said Tuesday, the third straight day of bombings in Iraq.

<snip>

Some officials have made the case that the No. 1 priority is to stop the attacks on coalition forces, Iraqis and international organizations.

Others are arguing that it's vitally important to find out what happened to biological and chemical weapons that the Bush administration said Saddam Hussein had and which constituted the main rationale for war.

<snip>

[Barrett808]

1. Captain Queeg must find the key to the freezer!

Meanwhile, the ships keeps sinking.

[underpants]

8. Now I know that someone took that ice cream

That was too funny Barrett

[Maeve]

2. Gee, do we waste time hunting the snipe or save lives?

:think:

[Wickerman]

3. If they actaully existed and provided an immediate threat

they would NEVER stop looking for them. They know they don't and didn't exist - there is no good political reason to continue searching for something that isn't there. Efforts to find non-existent WMD only serves as a reminder that our entire foray was based on false pretense.

[Homer12]

4. The administration said that all we had to do was wait.

I think they'll find them in another 10 years.

[Rose Siding]

5. I don't suppose anyone will mention that to Congress

which is about to include another 100 million in the supplemental for just this purpose. Nah! That would be too much like being fiscally responsible.

[loudnclear]

6. Bush lied; Saddam told the truth. American credibility?

Yes, we can exit Iraq and we should. Our credibility is already ruined in the eyes of the world. Within six months, the US could be able to leave Iraq in the hands of the Iraqis. We can send the money and other resources, but bring our soldiers home!

[salin]

7. Dupe - but look at what USA today did - used an AP source - but ditched

the by-line.

Story comes from here: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=15&u=/ap/20031029/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iraq

Note there is an author attributed (as it was on another source - that Judilynn linked - but that source gave the writer the by-line. USA Today - lifts the whole piece with no author by-line. Blech.

[VolcanoJen]

9. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion in the original, earliest LBN thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=189517

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator