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101st Airborne Vet: 'No Way' Explosives Were at Al Qaqaa
NewsMax.com ^
| 10/28/04
| Carl Limbacher
Posted on 10/27/2004 10:52:50 PM PDT by kattracks
A former GI with the 101st Airborne Division who was among the first Americans on the scene at Saddam Hussein's Al Qaqaa weapons depot said Wednesday there was no way the bunkers he inspected housed 380 tons of high explosives as reported by the New York Times.
"When we walked into the bunkers that apparently nobody [else] went into, there is no way there were 380 tons of explosives in those bunkers," 101st Airborne veteran Ken Dixon told the Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes" Wednesday night. Instead, said Dixon, the weapons that were left behind at Al Qaqaa were "regular RPGs, rockets and hand grenades."
Dixon did say, however, he saw evidence that something had been removed before U.S. forces arrived on the scene.
"You had tire tracks in dried up mud," he told Sean Hannity. "Large tire tracks from big trucks. And you had boot prints going in and out of these bunkers."
But as far as individual looters of the sort claimed by the New York Times, Dixon said he saw "no sign" of that at all.
The Iraq war vet was critical of Sen. John Kerry for using the Times report to bash President Bush, telling Hannity on his radio show, "It definitely undermines the work we're trying to do in Iraq."
Dixon's revelations on "Hannity & Colmes" capped a day that began on Nashville radio station WTN, where he detailed what he saw at Al Qaqaa to host Steve Gill.
When the 101st arrived on April 10, 2003, the Al Qaaqa bunkers were "wide open," he told Gill, as if somebody had already been there and broken the seals placed on the high explosives by the UN.
"There was me and two other guys who were the only ones who actually went in the bunkers," he recalled. "What drew us there - they had these big metal doors and they were already open. So we thought people had already gone in there - we wanted to take a look."
While there were a few boxes inside the bunkers, Dixon told the Nashville host, "There was nowhere near what they're saying that came up missing that was inside those bunkers."
The crates that were left behind, however, had some interesting markings.
"We pretty much knew that they contained explosives from the symbols that were on the crates themselves," Dixon said. "There was nothing we could actually read because the majority of it was written in French."
And he had an interesting observation for those in the press who dismiss pre-war Iraq as a major player in global terrorism, noting that prior to stopping off at Al Qaaqa, his unit has cleaned out a terrorist training camp.
"There were terrorist training camps all over [Iraq]," he told Gill.
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: airborne; alqaqaa; ammogate; iraq
1
posted on
10/27/2004 10:52:50 PM PDT
by
kattracks
To: kattracks
Sounds familiar: LOTS of weapons and munitions from non-US countries.
2
posted on
10/27/2004 10:55:38 PM PDT
by
DTogo
(U.S. out of the U.N. & U.N out of the U.S.)
To: kattracks
The most frustrating thing about all of this is to know all these things to be true, to be so aware here at FR, but at the same time have that relentless wondering .......... wondering if the truth of these matters will get to enough of the other citizens before the election.
It is endlessly frustrating!
To: kattracks
I saw this on H&C tonite, and I heard him on the radio earlier. Colmes tried to pick this guy apart, but he didn't succeed. The left just can't STAND the truth... in almost everything.
4
posted on
10/27/2004 10:59:00 PM PDT
by
Just Lori
(I am continually amazed.)
To: kattracks
---"There was nothing we could actually read because the majority of it was written in French."---
Yep.
5
posted on
10/27/2004 11:00:20 PM PDT
by
claudiustg
(Go Sharon! Go Bush!)
To: Spanaway Lori
I saw that too "Ol'Turtle Head" Colmes really went after the guy with his "well, did you search every bunker ?"crap.
6
posted on
10/27/2004 11:03:55 PM PDT
by
Freesofar
(We need W to win ....the WWOT)
To: beyond the sea
"There was me and two other guys who were the only ones who actually went in the bunkers" (as if there were just a few)
The facility was huge with hundreds of bunkers and buildings!!
7
posted on
10/27/2004 11:07:38 PM PDT
by
endthematrix
(10 out of 10 terrorists agree-Anybody but Bush!)
To: Spanaway Lori
Another group arrived and stayed for 2 weeks the day after this guy left. Don't tell me they just sat on their butts for 2 weeks, when they there are bunkers to explore.
To: Freesofar
"well, did you search every bunker?"crap"Why is that crap? They guy makes it sound as if there was only a few bunkers...
9
posted on
10/27/2004 11:09:30 PM PDT
by
endthematrix
(10 out of 10 terrorists agree-Anybody but Bush!)
To: Spanaway Lori
Yeah, but Laura tore Alan to shreds later about denying what he knows to be truth, that the vets feel betrayed by Kerry and the active troops overwhelmingly support their C-I-C.
Alan officially blew it with me tonight. I will not accept our troops treated with the disrespect he showed tonight. He confirmed he is willing to sell his soul to prop up someone he knows is of low character, all due to partisanship.
To: igoramus987
What group arrived to stay for two weeks?
11
posted on
10/27/2004 11:20:16 PM PDT
by
Ruth C
(learn to analyze rationally and extrapolate consequences ... you might become a conservative)
To: endthematrix
true IMO the guy was not a very credible witness, it seemed like he wasn't really sure where he was, evidently he was just a grunt giving his opinion to the best of his ability, Nonetheless a great soldier no doubt.
But the entire demeanor and attitude of Turtle Head was absolutly absurd , I wish the guy would have decked him
12
posted on
10/27/2004 11:23:28 PM PDT
by
Freesofar
(We need W to win ....the WWOT)
To: endthematrix
Actually, there were only 32 bunkers to check at Al Qaqaa.
To: kattracks
If there were even only a dozen guys, you can be sure that,
unless those building were thoroughly sealed shut, they were searched!
One thing I do know, soldiers like to hunt thru places looking for interesting things!
Did it myself in 91' in Kuwait & Iraq.
Remember all those pics of soldiers touring Saddam's palaces?
Old fellow I worked with as a kid went to Hitlers 'Eagle's Nest' w/ 82nd in WW2.
He had quite a treasure trove of Nazi memorabilia.
Tie tacks, pens, belt buckles, etc with swastika emblazoned on em.
14
posted on
10/27/2004 11:37:48 PM PDT
by
45semi
(A Kennedy speaking, and the wind from me arse, bear suspicious resemblance...)
To: Ruth C
"What group arrived to stay for two weeks?"
Sorry Ruth C, I haven't been able find the article or post again. I think it was another division of the 101st.
To: Ruth C
16
posted on
10/27/2004 11:41:05 PM PDT
by
DTogo
(U.S. out of the U.N. & U.N out of the U.S.)
To: endthematrix
""There was me and two other guys who were the only ones who actually went in the bunkers" (as if there were just a few)""The facility was huge with hundreds of bunkers and buildings!!"
The facility was huge but I've never read how many bunkers there were, have you? I have read that there were many storage buildings however, which I'm sure were searched by other troops. IN ANY CASE, even if there were two hundred bunkers and three men searched them, that's about a half a day's work. After all, they weren't looking for finger prints, they were looking for very large containers that could have contained explosives. All they found were typical weapons and ammo.
17
posted on
10/27/2004 11:46:01 PM PDT
by
TheCrusader
("the frenzy of the Mohammedans has devastated the churches of God" Pope Urban II (c 1097 a.d.))
To: kattracks
So...The Russki's helped Saddam move W.M.D.'s to Syria...The radical left will not understand this at all.......
To: kattracks
Caution:
There were 11 thousand bunkers at Al-Qa Qaa. If there were only two that inspected them, that would have taken about a year and a half.
19
posted on
10/27/2004 11:52:02 PM PDT
by
cookcounty
(WWW-Will John Kerry seek a 4th Purple Heart for fingers burnt in the Battle of Al-Qa Qaa?)
To: Ruth C
"What group arrived to stay for two weeks?" On another thread there's an officer from the 101st that said the forward elements were there for a day, then left. The next day the 101st HQ element moved in and set up there for 2 weeks.
I wish someone would contact General Petraus about this. He's back in Iraq now, heading up the training of the Iraqis.
20
posted on
10/27/2004 11:57:37 PM PDT
by
cookcounty
(WWW-Will John Kerry seek a 4th Purple Heart for fingers burnt in the Battle of Al-Qa Qaa?)
To: kattracks; All
Let me get this straight. The NYT issues a bogus story on missing explosives. Kerry then makes it a key part of his campaign. Then the NYT reports on the new theme of Kerry's campaign. Then Kerry makes an ad touting the NYT story.
Here's a fast grab of all the links & relevant commentary I have so far:
The media plays 'trick or treat' The media are too busy
repackaging old Iraq news in an October offensive against President George W. Bush's reelection to investigate truly startling
evidence unearthed this week that the Communist Party may have been directing John Kerry's anti-war activities in the early 1970s
I've read the Kerry ad. It may be built on deceptions and half truths but it's an effective ad and it will require not rebutting but refutation.
President Bush needs to make a statement; have a press conference - something straight from the President himself and NOW. . .stop the lies. . .stop the misinformation. . .stop the Kerry camp in it's tracks. . .NOW; by stepping up and out. . .taking advantage of his position as President so speak directly to the people. He should have a 'fireside' everynight. . .or Press conference every day. . .
NBC Video vs. Kerry Campaign Video... ~4:41pm~ EST
SEEMS INCREDIBLE THAT NEARLY 24 HOURS AFTER NYTIMES STORY IS BLOWN AWAY - JOHN KERRY CONTINUES TO USE IT ON THE TRAIL: The Daily Recycler has done everyone in the blogosphere a tremendous service by editing together Kerry's specific statements and the actual truth from NBC News. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE (1:27), LISTEN HERE TO THE 3 HOUR EXPOSE we did on air today.
YET ANOTHER SERVICEMAN REFUTES THE TIMES ACCOUNT [10/26 05:23 PM] --
Question seems to be IS THIS THEIR BEST SHOT??
I'm confident it won't be their last.
NYTrogate--
As I said yesterday, Joe Lockhart on the Kerry-Edwards conference call yesterday said the missing explosives: "Central issue for the rest of the campaign."
This is their October Surprise and they have nothing else but vote fraud. They have to go with this story no matter if it is a lie or not. They have nothing else. Desperation has set in for the Dems and it is blowing up in their face.
We in the "New Media" need to keep telling everyone we know that this story is a "LIE" and Kerry is a liar as well as MSM
Edwards rips Bush for lost Iraq explosives (Will Edwards apologize now?) I have been contacting the media sources that are continuing the missing explosives lie trying to pressure them to issue retractions and to get Kerry Campaign people to comment on the latest information about this story that they have been using as a political attack against President Bush. I urge you all to do the same.
Why don't they just call it the Oct 25th Surprise, since they have a new one everday.
This is not the real October surprise- it's too early for the critical hit; there's a whole week for the story to be shot at and sunk - The real attack comes at the end of week and is directed at Bush's character, a follow-up to the Kitty Kelly and Dan Rather types of attack.
THE DITTOCAM IS ON! Live Rush Thread Rush is ripping CBS, NYT, and Kerry a new one. (LOVING IT) I have a feeling that this is going to hurt CBS and Kerry in the long run. I am glad that NBC came forward with their
footage showing the explosives were moved before we took Baghdad. You would think that CBS and Dan Rather would have learned their lesson after Memo-gate-- In a lot of workplaces today (and for the next week) people are fixating on the election. It's topic #1 in conversations.
So even if the MSM doesn't get on it, those of us of the PJ platoons can burn peoples ears off at work about it.
"what's coming out now is just old useless info. Am I wrong?"
I believe you are correct, if they had anything, anything at all they would have used it by now. They are recycling old news- remember the national guard story they tried to resurrect and put some extra pepper on it by sending in FAKE documents. Again the bloggers came to the rescue and were the first to prove the documents as false. Everything they have tried to throw at this president has fallen flat on its face-
"Obviously this isn't a case of Bush failing to "guard" the explosives. By the time our troops got there they weren't there to guard."
Another CLASSIC case of guilt by accusation. The truth didn't matter, only the accusation. And once again, the MSM jackals run full tilt with the story, without adequate corroboration, as long as they had any chance of smearing President Bush. The decades long practice of MSM lies, smears, and propaganda against Republicans continues.
Dear God these people at CBS and in the MSM are desperate to bring down a sitting POTUS...at any cost. I suspect anything and everything reported as NEWS for the last half century from the MSM...
Kerry wants answers on missing explosives
"Are you keeping up with this on the thread about Hanoi Documents: Two recently discovered documents captured from the Vietnamese communists during the Vietnam War strongly support the contention that a close link existed between the Hanoi regime and the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) while John Kerry served as the group's leading national spokesman"
Here's the direct link to the WinterSoldier.com article that this WorldNetDaily article is summarizing:
What ironies! Bob Woodward and the press fought to bring to light the Watergate facts. Today, the MSM consciously avoids the facts and it is left to ordinary patriots to uncover the rot. Well done.
I've known all this (not about Kerry, specifically, but the war protestors) since my days in military intelligence. I never thought I'd see the day that a 'useful idiot' or worse, communist mole, would be nominated for the highest office in the land.
21
posted on
10/28/2004 12:07:50 AM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old Keyboard Cowboy, ridin' the Trackball into the Dawn of Information...)
To: 45semi
Old fellow I worked with as a kid went to Hitlers 'Eagle's Nest' w/ 82nd in WW2. He had quite a treasure trove of Nazi memorabilia. Tie tacks, pens, belt buckles, etc with swastika emblazoned on em. My old uncle also saw Berchestgaden (The Eagle's Nest) - he was with the 3rd ID-Blue & White Devils. I still have some of the Nazi memorabilia that he brought back.
22
posted on
10/28/2004 12:16:31 AM PDT
by
Mogollon
To: cookcounty
Let's not forget that a small handful of IAEA inspectors were to search around Iraq looking for WMD with Saddam's fake info. There is video of the inspection as well. Will that surface?
Top U.S. official to visit Russia this week
MOSCOW. Oct 26 (Interfax) - U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will visit Moscow on October 27-28, the press service of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow told Interfax on Tuesday.
During his visit, Armitage will attend a session of the Russian-U.S. working group on the suppression of terrorism, the press service said. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak is the group's co-chairman.
23
posted on
10/28/2004 12:17:30 AM PDT
by
endthematrix
(10 out of 10 terrorists agree-Anybody but Bush!)
To: Post Toasties
That's how many bunkers the 101st public affairs say they searched, not total.
24
posted on
10/28/2004 12:19:46 AM PDT
by
endthematrix
(10 out of 10 terrorists agree-Anybody but Bush!)
To: backhoe
I found one link to go with these which is to day by day battles in Iraq, so things can be put into context as to what was happening in all that area during that time. It's like people forget that there was a WAR going on, attacks against our military taking place and our guys fighting on their way to Bagdad. How exactly did these tons of weapons get 'taken' with all that happening..air strikes etc.?
War Time Line
25
posted on
10/28/2004 12:27:40 AM PDT
by
Ruth C
(learn to analyze rationally and extrapolate consequences ... you might become a conservative)
To: backhoe
Man that says it all ! Thanks
26
posted on
10/28/2004 12:42:01 AM PDT
by
Freesofar
(vote for one----Our Troops-- or --- Kerry)
To: Freesofar
Thanks for looking-
27
posted on
10/28/2004 1:34:35 AM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old Keyboard Cowboy, ridin' the Trackball into the Dawn of Information...)
To: Ruth C
Link copied & saved- thanks!
28
posted on
10/28/2004 1:35:44 AM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just an old Keyboard Cowboy, ridin' the Trackball into the Dawn of Information...)
To: Freesofar
"Ol'Turtle Head" Colmes ---
Colmes looks like a praying mantis too me. He was uglier than usual last night!
To: beyond the sea
sorry just testing this out
30
posted on
12/27/2004 11:32:18 AM PST
by
Just Dan
To: Just Dan
31
posted on
12/27/2004 2:15:56 PM PST
by
beyond the sea
(A man who says he can see through women is missing a lot.)
To: beyond the sea
Thanks...
Getting ready fopr when our guys go back :-)
32
posted on
12/27/2004 2:17:12 PM PST
by
Just Dan
To: kattracks
33
posted on
12/27/2004 2:17:51 PM PST
by
VOA
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