Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

French bombs in Baghdad. (Wolfowitz & Co. blitzed by rockets made in FRANCE)
sun uk ^ | Sunday, October 26, 2003 | By TREVOR KAVANAGH

Posted on 10/26/2003 7:05:44 PM PST by dennisw

French bombs in Baghdad
alt
alt
Smashed ... the wrecked Rashid hotel
alt
By TREVOR KAVANAGH
and BRIAN FLYNN

 

A BAGHDAD hotel where US defence chief Paul Wolfowitz was staying was yesterday blitzed by rockets made in FRANCE.

Half of the missiles fired were modern French weapons, said experts — produced after the arms embargo imposed on Iraq following the first Gulf War.

The shock discovery will further fuel growing concern over blackmarket French arms links with Islamic terrorists.

The French government has furiously denied turning a blind eye to illegal weapon supplies, despite the recent discovery in Iraq of military hardware apparently built there.


alt
Guest ... US defence chief Paul Wolfowitz

Deputy Defence Secretary Wolfowitz — Donald Rumsfeld’s No2 — was hustled from the hotel unharmed by bodyguards yesterday after Saddam loyalists struck.

One US colonel was killed and 17 people — one of them a Brit — were wounded as the six rockets hit the Rashid Hotel at 6am.

The attack blew holes in the walls and destroyed rooms on the levels below the 12th floor where Wolfowitz was staying.

Guests were thrown from bed by the blasts, which ripped away balconies and shattered windows.


alt
Help ... US medical vehicle rushes to the hotel

Blood-spattered survivors were carried out on stretchers as Wolfowitz was led away.

He seemed shaken but composed after descending a stairwell through thick smoke. He vowed that America would not be cowed into abandoning Iraq.

He said: “There are a few who refuse to accept the reality of a new and free Iraq.

“We will be unrelenting in our pursuit of them. These terrorist attacks will not deter us.”

US investigators believe the attack was not a planned assassination attempt and it was just chance that the hotel was hit while Wolfowitz was inside.

The rockets were fired from a home-made launcher disguised as a power generator. Six hit the hotel, two hit the ground, six more did not explode and 11 failed to launch.

The Brit was last night named as Jacob Nell, 33, a Treasury official helping the Iraq Provisional Authority’s Finance Ministry. His injuries are not life-threatening.

Wolfowitz later said that Iraqi security forces may have foiled a bigger attack by discovering the guerillas before they could arm all their rocket launchers.



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: alrashidhotel; france; illegalweapons; iraq; missiles; rebuildingiraq; wolfowitz

1 posted on 10/26/2003 7:05:44 PM PST by dennisw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: dennisw
Is anyone here surprised?
2 posted on 10/26/2003 7:07:54 PM PST by dinok
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
This oughta get interesting......
3 posted on 10/26/2003 7:07:58 PM PST by CAPPSMADNESS (Seriously - Does this make my butt look too big????)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
It appears that -- now that Russia is no longer staging a Cold War against us by supplying our enemies -- that France has taken her place.
4 posted on 10/26/2003 7:08:00 PM PST by Lazamataz (I am the extended middle finger in the fist of life.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz
If one diggs far enough, they will find French prints all over Anti-Americanism.

Lets face it, the French gave Saddam copies of conferances between their president and ours. The Iraqis knew we were coming and got rid of the weapons long ago.

They are probably in France.
5 posted on 10/26/2003 7:15:48 PM PST by dinok
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz; dinok
Ironic lyrics
from: ALANIS MORISSETTE


An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic...dontcha think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought...it figures

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic...dontcha think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought...it figures

Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face

A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...dontcha think
A little too ironic...and yeah I really do think...

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought...it figures

Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out
6 posted on 10/26/2003 7:16:17 PM PST by BenLurkin (Socialism is Slavery)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
The rockets were fired from a home-made launcher disguised as a power generator. Six hit the hotel, two hit the ground, six more did not explode and 11 failed to launch.

It certainly sounds like French weaponry.

7 posted on 10/26/2003 7:24:40 PM PST by Reaganesque
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz
It appears that -- now that Russia is no longer staging a Cold War against us by supplying our enemies -- that France has taken her place.

Concur. I wonder what role Germany is playing in this.

8 posted on 10/26/2003 7:25:26 PM PST by Poohbah ("Would you mind not shooting at the thermonuclear weapons?" -- Major Vic Deakins, USAF)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
Ever notice that not a singe example in the Irony song is actually “irony”. It’s all just bad experience. Irony requires commonality and coincidence. Just shows what a moron Morissette is.
9 posted on 10/26/2003 7:27:12 PM PST by elfman2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
France has been outlawed, the bombing starts in five minutes!
10 posted on 10/26/2003 7:35:11 PM PST by Incorrigible
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Poohbah
"I wonder what role Germany is playing in this."

They provided the copy of Mein Kampf. Essential to all hate groups.
11 posted on 10/26/2003 7:35:40 PM PST by dinok
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: dennisw


12 posted on 10/26/2003 7:36:17 PM PST by Incorrigible
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
I think it was former French President Giscard D'Estang's son who was a sleezy arms merchant. Africa is loaded with illegal armament bought through the French.
13 posted on 10/26/2003 7:39:59 PM PST by MARTIAL MONK
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

This will be a non issue.
14 posted on 10/26/2003 7:40:48 PM PST by At _War_With_Liberals
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
Oh come on. We all know this was a staged event with US troops shooting those French rockets they stoled to implicate and embarrass them. </ DNC Spin>
15 posted on 10/26/2003 7:42:50 PM PST by Fledermaus (I'm a conservative...not necessarily a Republican.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: elfman2
Wow. You're talkin' way over my head. Whatever you're saying, I'lldefer to your superior command of the language.

To me the lyrics are brilliant. Ironic, huh?

16 posted on 10/26/2003 8:35:52 PM PST by BenLurkin (Socialism is Slavery)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Incorrigible
That cartoon is priceless!
17 posted on 10/26/2003 9:21:50 PM PST by Unam Sanctam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: dinok
The WMD are in Syria.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030916-113346-3232r.htm
18 posted on 10/26/2003 10:10:05 PM PST by Bobibutu
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
Le bump.
19 posted on 10/27/2003 4:28:42 AM PST by aculeus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bobibutu
"The WMD are in Syria."

Debka warned of this right before the war in the spring. They said that the stuff had been moving in to Syria in the first two months of this year.

After all, Saddam send his best aircraft to Iran (a former enemy) just to keep us from blowing them up.

We will see the weapons one day, when American citizens are chocking in the streets from a chemical weapon release, or our kids are dying from mysterius deseases. Its not just saddam that has it in for us. Most Arabs hate us...but if one sais that in the open, they are a war-monger and a right wing extremist.
20 posted on 10/27/2003 2:57:54 PM PST by dinok
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson