Let UN In Or Else, Bush Critic Warns Baghdad (Scott Ritter)

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 9-9-2002 | Amberin Zaman

[blam]

"What's the treason there? I think the jury's still out on this bird."

Yup. Something smells. That sounds like something Colin Powell would say if he were there, huh?

[finnman69]

Like I said, go enjoy some quality time with Ritter the traitor. You wouldn't happen to be Will Pitt would you?

[finnman69]

Excuse me. How many years has Iraq been given the opportunity to open up their country to the UN inspections they MUST abide to?

Giving them a few more years only gives that maniac more time to stall while they build more WMD weapons AND finance terrorism around the world.

[Sacajaweau]

He fooled 'em. They thought he was there to kiss their butts and sh** on us and that is why they let him speak.

What, no applause.

Hey Saddam, Ritter's a "little guy" and he fooled you, you stupid, arrogant bast***.

Sac

[Timm]

Without speculating as to Ritter's motives or beliefs here, I do keep wondering why Hussein will not just accept the U.N. inspectors. The guy has got to be the stupidest man on earth.

Yeah, the inspectors will find Hussein's mustard gas, his sarin, maybe his anthrax or camel pox. But the U.S. military will kill him and undo his government. What option does Hussein think he has here?

[blam]

"What option does Hussein think he has here?"

He thinks he's a modern day Hammarabi or some such.

[finnman69]

What option does Hussein think he has here?

One of two reasons.

1. Saddam feels like hes is boxed in and cannot lose face. He rather go down fighting than be systematically disarmed. A scary thought.

2. Saddam is badly misjudging Bush and thinks Bush is bluffing.

[dsutah]

More weapons inspections? Are you joking? If Saddam hasn't let them back in after 1998, he isn't going to now! Do you seriously think ole Saddam is going to let them see anything 'important'? What kind of idiots does Saddam think we are? This will go on and on, and while it is going on, ole Saddam will be up to mischief elsewhere! Go Figure!!

[Timm]

If he's resigned to dying, then Hussein is acting entirely appropriately.

If he thinks Bush is bluffing, he's just stupid.

But I ask my rhetorical question more for fear of another possibility than out of any curiosity as to why Hussein won't do what's good for him. If Hussein stops feeling suicidal, or if actually gets his head out of his *ss, he will realize he has yet another opportunity to survive. He can accept another absurd round of inspections, wait until the world has grown tired of the invasion force on a hair trigger bit, and then hector and obstruct some more. Why is Bush considering allowing this to happen? If Bush really is going to demand some new inspectorate he's just asking for a fiasco.

[dsutah]

You could be right. I guess we'll have to see what happens with Mr. Ritter. It almost seems like he's playing an elaborate game of some sort. Maybe he got in up to his head. I did notice what he said about fighting with the US. But, we'll just have to see!

[Howlin]

I find it funny that you would like to deny entry into America by an American hero who served in the Marine Corps for 12 years and who has enough balls to speak his opinion on the matter

Ever heard of the Logan Act? I didn't think so.

[DB]

Ritter has made claims that he can't possibly know the truth about. To say Saddam doesn't have WMD or that he didn't participate in terrorist activities against the US is unknowable by him period.

Just knowing that alone makes Ritter a fool at best and an agent of Saddam at worst.

To blindly do what Ritter is doing imperils us all. It is simply dangerous.

[Howlin]

He merely wants to verify who our true enemies are.

He is not now nor will he EVER be a member of the current administartion so he has NO DAMN BUSINESS going into another country, our enemy, and speaking on behalf of us.

It's against the law. He obviously has been turned.

[Sacajaweau]

Saddam is more afraid of being overthrown by his own than us. Keeping chemical weapons in stock has worked up until this point.

IF, we find the weapons through renewed inspections, we'll take them away. If we don't, he will be overthrown by his own.

Either way, he loses.

The UN MUST take a stand or deem their resolution for inspections as having "0" meaning.

Sac

[DB]

I haven't seen Bush asking for inspectors as of late. Just the opposite.

[Howlin]

Ritter has made claims that he can't possibly know the truth about.

Absolutely the TRUTH.

[anymouse]

Words are cheap. I don't give a d@mn what Ritter says. The fact that he is doing a photoOp in the capital of a country that we are about to invade belies his loyalty for hire words. Ritter is no different than a Jane Fonda or Jesse Jackson putting their political agendas ahead of the interests of the American people.

As soon as this twerp, Ritter lands on American soil again, he should be FReeped everywhere he dares appear in public.

[Timm]

I don't know that Bush will ask for more inspections. I was saying only that if he did, there is a serious risk.

I was wondering about this possibility only because it's being reported in the U.K. Telegraph that Bush's speech is going to include some sort of four week ultimatum for...wait for it...inspectors.

I don't know what to make of these reports. I hope Bush is not going to fritter away the opportunity he has now on fool's errands. So maybe he's going to demand something at the U.N. that Hussein will not accept. But even going down this road at all carries with it the prospect that Hussein will accept inspectors. The the U.S. will be in an awful position.