Live on C-Span - House Armed Services Committee hears from former UN Weapons Inspectors

[agrace]

For the past half hour or so I have been watching two former UN weapons inspectors testify before the House Armed Services Committee live on C-Span. Is anyone else watching this? They are without a doubt making President Bush's case for him. They have stated unequivocally that time is not on our side, that if they held congressional voting cards (a question put to them by a Republican congressman from VA) that they would vote to invade, that Scott Ritter is a liar (quote - "if he isn't lying now, he was certainly lying years ago"), referencing his past statements before Congress. They stated disdainfully that Scott Ritter has no way of knowing ANYTHING past 1998.

They are emphatic, deadly serious and urgent in their answers to questions put forward by Republicans and Democrats alike. One thanked them a few minutes ago for appearing before them and speaking so candidly and "quite frankly, scaring us to death." It's still going on (unless it concluded within the last couple minutes). I did a search and found nothing about it - please direct me if I missed comments already made.

[not-alone]

thanks I'm watching

[The Great Satan]

Spertzel on the anthrax letters: "I think it's got written in big letters: MIB. Made in Baghdad." (Anthrax trail on wrong path?)

[agrace]

Did he REALLY say that? I missed that one. And thanks for the thread link.

[The Great Satan]

Check the link in my post -- that is not from the hearing. Spertzel has made no secret of the fact that he thinks the anthrax in those letters came from Iraq. And, he would know.

[Orangedog]

I respectfully suggest, Scott-Major-I respectfully suggest they have responsibilities slightly above your pay grade ... to decide whether to take the nation to war. That's a real tough decision. That's why they get paid the big bucks. That's why they get the limos and you don't. ... Their job is a hell of a lot more complicated than yours."

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), in a Sept. 3, 1998, Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, held to examine Ritter's charges about Administration duplicity.

Here we see liberal compassion for "the common man," for the lower class. This man wants to be president....no, not president. He wants to be king. Sorry to say, as much as he wants it, Hitlery wants it more.

[Shermy]

They're good, but they won't get any press play. Ritter's Iraqi backers know how to, or have engaged a PR firm to keep him in the press every day, to keep him in mind. Nelson Mandela's even quoting Ritter!

[Orangedog]

He said "What makes us so sure that Iraq hasn't already used BW against us?". He then said " We still haven't figured out the source of the Anthrax last year and Iraq CERTAINLY had the capability to make Anthrax of that quality".

THIS is where more attention should be focussed. Saddam's bioweapons program is likely very advanced. I'm sure that more than a couple of former Soviet scientists have sold their services and/or equipment to Iraq. Considering the men who created these weapons have been paid the equivalent $100 a month, and that was when they even GOT paid.

The bioweapons expert at this hearing is spot-on. But the latest and greatest in bioweapons is the binary chemical and biological weapons. This technology works when two non-lethal germs or chemicals are used, but when they come together, the results are deadly. The first part could already be here. In fact both parts could already have been released into the population and we don't know it yet because it could take months until a person infected with part one becomes exposed to part two.

[AuntB]

Thanks for the ping..I did catch a bit of this on C-Span. Scott Ritter.... a turnaround, sounds as confused as some of my relatives....I'd hate to admit that Joe Biden was right about him a few years back when he insulted Ritter and called him "Scotty Boy"..

[The Great Satan]

I saw something pass between Biden and Ritter at that moment, almost as though something evil in Biden went across that room and bit him. It was one ugly moment.

Great imagery! LOL!

[seamus]

The hearing doesn't yet appear to be in CSPAN's archives, but they might be soon. Click here.

Also, at least the witnesses opening statements are already on the House Armed Services Committee website. Click here for that.

[Republic]

I respectfully suggest, Scott-Major-I respectfully suggest they have responsibilities slightly above your pay grade ... to decide whether to take the nation to war. That's a real tough decision. That's why they get paid the big bucks. That's why they get the limos and you don't. ... Their job is a hell of a lot more complicated than yours."

[ Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), in a Sept. 3, 1998, Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, held to examine Ritter's charges about Administration duplicity.]

Orangedog:" Here we see liberal compassion for "the common man," for the lower class. This man wants to be president....no, not president. He wants to be king. Sorry to say, as much as he wants it, Hitlery wants it more."

FANTASTIC--where did you unearth this in CSPAN's archieves? I watched this happen....and was amazed at biden's arrogance and unkindness, his absolute anger towards Scott Ritter. Of course, at that time, Scott Ritter was singing a different tune!

[Orangedog]

I didn't. The author of post #38 did. Don't know if he got it from CSPAN's archives, but I believe I found the site that it may have come from. Link below:

http://www.afa.org/magazine/verbatim/10verb98.html

I saw it too. The look on Ritter's face was almost indescribable. After getting a chewing like that from the ranking Senator on the foreign affairs committee, he must have snapped. I don't condone or approve of Ritter selling out the US, but I have to imagine that it was about the loneliest, deepest feeling of abandonment and betrayal at the hands of a US Senator after flailing away on the inspection team for all that time. In any event, I hope the justice department is looking Ritter's activities at least half as much as they are that poor sap in the anthrax investigation.

[Republic]

I stand with you on that one!

[Orangedog]

I think that the only I've seen on CSPAN that was as much of a jaw-dropper than Biden's conduct that day was in 1993 when Hitlery was answering questions about her plan to socialize health care. One of the congressmen asked her about the small businesses her plan would bury because of the costs they would be forced to pay, she said "I can't be held responsible for every under-capitalized business in the country." I can't believe the fools in New York sent her to the Senate.

[Republic]

she said "I can't be held responsible for every under-capitalized business in the country."

Thanks for including that aside about CSPAN and Hillary and the Health Care Debacle (which I am sure cuts her to the bone-and she will get even or try to, until her last breath is taken, imho.)

That comment by her heinous is chilling. I never ever heard that or read of it, I am sure. That is simply horrendous.Alamo-girl, do we have this? I find it amazing, and a very good fact to have tucked away in case that horrible excuse for a human being, a woman who I am sure cannot name ONE of the names of the little ones snuffed in WACO, should ever, EVER decide to run for the highest office in our land.

[Orangedog]

I don't have the transcript, but I did find a link to a National Review artcle by John Derbyshire. Link below:

http://olimu.com/Journalism/Texts/Commentary/ExterminateThis.htm

I'd almost be willing to pay money to get a sound clip of her saying that.

[Republic]

Many thanks for the link (s). I bet we can find it-even if CSPAN charges 20 bucks or whatever for a tape.

[Alamo-Girl]

It's not one I had. Thanks for the heads up!