Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Iraqi WMD at sea?

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Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=379623

quote:
Three giant cargo ships are being tracked by US and British intelligence on suspicion that they might be carrying Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

Each with a deadweight of 35,000 to 40,000 tonnes, the ships have been sailing around the world's oceans for the past three months while maintaining radio silence in clear violation of international maritime law, say authoritative shipping industry sources.

The vessels left port in late November, just a few days after UN weapons inspectors led by Hans Blix began their search for the alleged Iraqi arsenal on their return to the country.

Posted by Ultra Magnus (Member # 239) on :

Simon is so the new Newton.

URL

Posted by Cartmaniac (Member # 256) on :

Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :

Genius!

Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

so this, then, would be a non-discussion?

Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

Well, you posted an article making a claim. UM posted an article that called bullshit on your article. No-one seems to be giving your article more creedence than his, so I don't think there's anything to discuss, really.

Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :

Besides, if intelligence agencies know about these ships and where they are, why don't we just board them? There's your smoking gun, right there, no question.

Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Saltah'na:
Besides, if intelligence agencies know about these ships and where they are, why don't we just board them? There's your smoking gun, right there, no question.

And if they're maintaining radio silence in violation of international law, then there's no need for some trumped-up justification either, right? They should be legitimate targets for boarding.

Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

Of course, "[t]he International Maritime Organization said it was not against the international law of the sea for a ship to withhold information or maintain radio silence on the high seas", so, no.

Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

Ah, I mistook UM's post for a mis-post, given the topic of another thread, and so bypassed it.

Guess the Independent got hoaxed.

Besides, this is more fun.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=381798

quote:
26 February 2003

An Iraqi referee and a footballer who escaped to Europe have given detailed accounts of their torture on the orders of Saddam Hussein's son Uday.

Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :

most of the free world is getting hoaxed.

Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

Yes, I know. Fortunately, Saddam's a lousy liar.

Another bomb that "didn't exist" until we ratcheted up the pressure another notch...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030225/wl_nm/iraq_un_blix_dc_5

I love how they keep "finding" things, as if Iraq's official documents and records were arranged like the average american middle-schooler's bedroom...

"Hey! I found some nuclear documents under the bed behind my 'N*Sync' lunchbox!"
"Look! Here's a chemical warhead mixed in with my lipstick containers!"

I have a hard time believing anybody is actually stupid enough to buy that. He's stalling for time, releasing dribbles when he wants to, hoping that he can stave off an attack until the weather condaitions make it strategically dangerous.

Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

Wow. Those Iraqis take their soccer seriously...

Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :

quote:
I love how they keep "finding" things, as if Iraq's official documents and records were arranged like the average american middle-schooler's bedroom...

Well, that's how they do things in the former USSR... [Big Grin]