Posted on 01/25/2003 5:02:56 PM PST by OneLoyalAmerican
Greetings Freepers, et al:
At this point I've collected a mountain of circumstantial evidence which indicates something very significant occurred on or about October 28, 1997. The event seriously undermined UNSCOM and changed the course of history.
Given last week's revelation: "Ritter the pedophile wannabe," changed our frame of reference with Iraq, UNSCOM, and Ritter. Chances are some FReeper knows or is a former UNSCOM team member, or perhaps several FReeper lurkers each hold one piece to the Ritter puzzle. Collected and assembled here, we might see the big picture. So, I’m asking for Freeper help.
Scott Ritter undergoes an amazing metamorphism between late 1997 and early 1998. For six years, Ritter's language indicates a genuine "fall on the sword for the USA" Marine Corps Major; where his vocal critics called him a spy with every move.
Suddenly, on October 29, 1997, Iraq becomes not just uncooperative, but downright belligerent. Afterward Ritter's rhetoric gradually becomes anti-US, anti-Richard Butler, anti-UN and "for the children." From that point Butler’s carefully worded conversations only speak of Ritter as a good inspector. Within months, Ritter becomes the critics hero.
Experts claim sexual predators are incurable. Amn Al-Khass logically has KBG influence for tactics and strategy. Ritter's attraction to young looking women ruined his first marriage. Did Amn Al-Khass compromise Ritter?
This preponderance of circumstantial evidence indicates a likely hood Ritter was compromised in August 1997. Perhaps pedophilia was causation in fact for Ritter's 1998 resignation from UNSCOM? But for UNSCOM, the damage was done.
And this Time Magazine interview always perplexed me.
TIME: You've spoke about having seen the children's prisons in Iraq. Can you describe what you saw there?
RITTER: The prison in question is at the General Security Services headquarters, which was inspected by my team in Jan. 1998. It appeared to be a prison for children — toddlers up to pre-adolescents — whose only crime was to be the offspring of those who have spoken out politically against the regime of Saddam Hussein. It was a horrific scene. Actually I'm not going to describe what I saw there because what I saw was so horrible that it can be used by those who would want to promote war with Iraq, and right now I'm waging peace.
While US armed forces parent are deployed overseas, Scott Ritter stalked our children at home. Perhaps this sexual predator had an appetite for Iraqi children too?
So FReepers, help me scour the world, let's leave not a stone unturned. Let's build this thread with links, and post relevant text, in the event the link suddenly disappears. :) And help me find out what really happened in October 1997.
Let's wake the sleeping dog. Ping the FReeper knowledge base.
Key events in UN weapons inspections in Iraq By AP September 17 2002
Factbox: Key events in efforts to ensure Iraq does not have chemical, biological or nuclear weapons:
February 24, 1991: Gulf War ends; Kuwait is liberated on February 27
April 6, 1991: Iraq accepts UN resolution requiring it to end its weapons of mass destruction programs and allow for ongoing monitoring and verification of compliance.
October 29, 1997: Iraq demands that Americans on the UN Special Commission inspection team leave; the Americans leave temporarily but return on November 20.
January 13, 1998: Iraq temporarily withdraws cooperation, claiming the inspection team had too many US and British inspectors.
January 22, 1998: Iraq refuses inspection of presidential sites.
February 20-23, 1998: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan secures Iraq's cooperation and unrestricted access to inspectors.
October 31, 1998: Iraq ends all forms of cooperation with UNSCOM. UNSCOM withdraws.
November 14, 1998: Iraq allows inspections to resume.
December 16, 1998: UNSCOM removes all staff from Iraq after inspectors conclude Iraq is not fully cooperating. Four days of US and British airstrikes follow.
June 30, 1999: Richard Butler completes his two-year term as executive chairman of UNSCOM.
December 17, 1999: UN replaces UNSCOM with UNMOVIC, the UN Monitoring Verification and Inspection Commission. Iraq rejects the resolution.
March 1, 2000: Hans Blix assumes post of executive chairman of UNMOVIC.
November 2000: Iraq rejects new weapons inspections proposals.
July 5, 2002: In talks with Annan, Iraq rejects weapons inspections proposals.
August 1: In a letter to Annan, Iraq invites Blix to Iraq for technical discussions on remaining disarmament issues.
August 6: Annan writes to Iraqis pointing out that what they are proposing is at odds with UN resolutions and asks that Iraq accept inspections.
September 12: US President George W Bush tells the United Nations it must rid the world of Saddam's biological, chemical and nuclear arsenals, or stand aside as the United States acts.
September 16: Iraq unconditionally accepts the return of UN weapons inspectors.
America's Fifth Column ... watch Steve Emerson/PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
New Link: Download 8 Mb zip file here (60 minute video)
No, absolutely not!!! It was that 10 year old girl with the big brown eyes.
Why covered for Ritter in Albany and why? He got caught twice in 2 months; there must be many other places where he's been caught, as well. Can we track and list the locations where he's lived and worked over the past ten years? Then can we check the sex offenders list for those locations to see if he comes up with his name or, maybe, an alias?
There is no doubt in my mind that Ritter was turned because of his child molestation. That this has been covered may mean that he has been double turned and is so useful to another government, ours, Israel or Iran, that locals are protecting him to maintain the pretext of the pro-Iraqi turn.
During a subsequent visit by Ambassador Butler, Iraq `presidential and sovereign sites' to inspection. In a recent speech, Saddam Hussein stated his decision to expel UNSCOM by May 20 if sanctions remain in place.
< snip > Let me take just a moment to recount how we have come to the point where military force may be employed in the near future.
Q Do you have any reaction to Scott Ritter's comments this morning about U.S. change in policy on Iraq and his criticism of this administration's unwillingness to press the inspections issue?
MR. TOIV: Look, I can help you a little bit, but again, Sandy can probably do a lot better. But U.S. policy toward Iraq has not changed. Our goal since 1991 has been to contain this dangerous regime and keep them from getting dangerous weapons of mass destruction. Iraq has repeatedly challenged those goals and in every instance the U.S. has led an international response that has forced them to back down.
We're engaging in mobilizing the international community again to press Iraq and we've already received strong backing from the Security Council that Iraq's actions are totally unacceptable, and the President will be raising this issue next week in Moscow as well.
We are seeking a U.N. resolution to suspend sanctions reviews indefinitely until Iraq complies, and that sends Baghdad a sharp signal that its actions have further extended the sanctions that have already cost them over $120 billion. We are also tightening the sanctions enforcement further by cutting down on illegal Iraqi oil exports in the Gulf, and we've not ruled out using other options at a time and place of our own choosing, if diplomatic means do not convince Iraq to comply.
I'll leave any follow-ups to Sandy.
Maybe Clinton did him in ;)
Q: Joe, one more on Iraq. Does the White House have any comment on Scott Ritter's comments, that the only way to settle this is to bomb Iraq?
LOCKHART: No.
Q: Didn't you, yourself, the other day point out that one of the most aggressive inspectors was a Russian, probably disliked by the Iraqis even more than Scott Ritter?
MCCURRY: No, I pointed out that when -- not long ago, or after the stand-off with Iraq in November, one outcome was the establishment of technical evaluation teams that went in to evaluate on an almost like a peer basis some of the work that the Special Commission was doing in Iraq, one of them headed by a Russian arms control expert which produced a report that fully confirmed -- I think it's fair to say fully confirmed -- many of the reports that were given by Mr. Butler to the Security Council.
It is not an objection, per se, to any national, it's more an endorsement of the current structure, the way it works, the reasons why we think it's effective. We are going through a period now in which we're getting ready to establish a diplomatic element in one aspect of the Special Council work, and that should be administered carefully and probably not wise to make larger, broader changes in the structure of the Special Commission at this time.
It occurred to me the other day that maybe Ritter was discovered and "turned" by Saddam before he was thrown out of the country. His indignation about Saddam hiding weapons was an act to get a reputation as a principled man who would then have credibility when he "changed his mind" about Iraq.
Not being able to read everything going on, has anyone mentioned this possibility before? My thought was how perfect the ruse would have been had he not gotten caught being a pervert again.
Dec 17, 1998
34. The resignation from UNSCOM of U.S. inspector Scott Ritter in August 1998 brought to light his claim that the inspection regime has not been intrusive enough, and that Iraq is far from being free of WMD. A subsequent unclassified CIA assessment concluded that, if the U.N. halted its inspection, Iraq could resume with relative ease its production of chemical and biological weapons and that “it could be developing 46 nuclear weapons right now and the U.S. would not know about it.” See John Donnelly, “CIA: Iraq Could Restart Doomsday Line ‘Overnight’,” Defense Week, September 8, 1998, p. 1. There have been recent claims that Iraq is “hiding components for three nuclear weapons.” London Times, September 10, 1998, reprinted in Early Bird, September 10, 1998, pp. 3-4.
It appears that up until at least 1999 he believed they were still a threat an military strikes were needed. Perhaps it was his loyalty to Clinton (another sexual predator) which drove him against Bush...
Although he’s officially an engineer officer with the Army, Beerman-Ahmed was also trained as a chemical officer by the Air Force. He has a great deal of experience with the Air Force Special Operations Command. A Gulf War veteran, he has “regularly gone to the Middle East” for a variety of assignments, most of which remain classified. Many of those assignments have been conducted in Kuwait and Iraq. He also served as a United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq between 1996 and 1998. “I was one of the last people out of Iraq, before Operation Desert Fox started at the end of 1998,” Beerman-Ahmed said, adding that he was assigned to replace Scott Ritter, who had been expelled by Saddam Hussein.
With a background that includes training and experience in weapons of mass destruction, he was called to active duty in mid-January. “I went from civilian to soldier in just two weeks – which is incredible,” he said.
But could that have been part of the plan? Saddam knew Clinton wouldn't do anything, so it was useful having Scott continue to develop the reputation that he was a very principled man. I just can't help but think he was discovered by Saddam while he was an inspector and his star status as a principled inspector was part of the plan.
Maybe it's time for me to get out the Reynolds Wrap... but I just have this strong feeling that it was all a setup from before he made a name for himself.
Washington, DC - Three former senior UN officials denounced and called for the lifting of economic sanctions against Iraq at a congressional briefing on Wednesday, May 3. Former UN Humanitarian Coordinators in Iraq, Hans von Sponeck and Denis Halliday, and former weapons inspector Scott Ritter, called on the US government to abandon its policy economic sanctions against Iraq. Despite their diverse backgrounds, all three agreed that economic sanctions are the principle cause of the humanitarian disaster in Iraq, and dismissed claims that American policy is not to blame. US Representatives Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), John Conyers (D-MI) and Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) also called for the lifting of sanctions.
Former UN weapons inspector in Iraq Scott Ritter debunked what he called “the myth” of a threat from Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, which typically cited as a reason for maintaining sanctions. Calling himself "an unlikely ally in this matter," Ritter said that "a lot of the blame for this perception can be laid at my doorstep." But, Ritter said, “the reality is that when you judge Iraq’s current weapons of mass destruction capabilities today, they have none.”
At the 3828th meeting of the Security Council, held on 29 October 1997 in connection with the Council's consideration of the item entitled "The situation between Iraq and Kuwait", the President of the Security Council made the following statement on behalf of the Council:
"The Security Council has considered the letter of 29 October 1997 from the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq to the President of the Security Council conveying the unacceptable decision of the Government of Iraq to seek to impose conditions on its cooperation with the Special Commission, thereby preventing the Special Commission from discharging its responsibilities under resolutions 687 (1991), 699 (1991), 707 (1991), 715 (1991), 1051 (1996), 1060 (1996), 1115 (1997) and 1134 (1997). "The Security Council recalls its demands in resolution 1134 (1997) that Iraq cooperate fully with the Special Commission in accordance with the relevant resolutions, which constitute the governing standard of Iraqi compliance.
"The Security Council condemns the decision of the Government of Iraq to try to dictate the terms of its compliance with its obligation to cooperate with the Special Commission. It demands that Iraq cooperate fully, in accordance with the relevant resolutions, without conditions or restrictions, with the Special Commission in the implementation of its mandate. The Council furthermore reminds the Government of Iraq of its responsibility for the safety and security of the personnel of the Special Commission and its inspection teams.
"The Security Council warns of the serious consequences of Iraq's failure to comply immediately and fully with its obligations under the relevant resolutions. The Council is determined to ensure rapid and full Iraqi compliance with the relevant resolutions and for that purpose will remain actively seized of the matter."
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TIMELINE OF THE IRAQI CRISIS 1997-1998
The countdown to crisis has stopped, then started again
The Gulf War ended at 0500 GMT on February 28,1991. The US-led coalition began a ceasefire and Baghdad ordered its troops to stop fighting. But since then, Iraq has remained at loggerheads with the United Nations and the Americans in particular.
There have been arguments over the work of the United Nations Special Commission in Iraq (UNSCOM) weapons inspectors, oil, the no-fly zones, and the rights of Shi'ite and Kurdish people living in the region. But the latest crisis stems from Iraq's exasperation with sanctions imposed after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
The UN put forward a series of proposals designed to ensure that Iraq is fulfilling its commitments to destroy weapons of mass destruction in June this year. Their elimination is a pre-condition for the lifting of UN sanctions which have crippled the economy by banning the country's economic mainstay - the free sale of oil.
KEY DATES AND STORIES
October 29, 1997 - Iraq bars American weapons inspectors from the country after the UN Security Council passes a resolution threatening to stop Iraqi officials travelling abroad. Iraq expels Americans
October 31, 1997 - Iraq reiterates that it is ready, if necessary, to face US military action over its decision to expel the weapons inspectors. Russia and France believe a solution can be found to the crisis. Russia rejects use of force Iraq urged to backdown
November 3, 1997 - Iraq warns it will shoot down U2 spy planes flying over its territory in support of UN weapons inspectors. Iraq threatens US planes
November 20, 1997 - Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, brokers a compromise in the crisis between Iraq and the UN. The US, Russia, France, Britain, China meet through the night to work out the deal which allows the inspectors to return to Baghdad. However, UNSCOM inspectors return only to find they are barred from presidential sites. Iraq settlement seen as "brilliant victory" for Russian diplomacy
January 2, 1998 - A grenade attack is launched against the headquarters of UNSCOM in Baghdad. The Iraqi regime condemns the attack saying it was the act of saboteurs hostile to Iraq.
January 13, 1998 - Iraq blocks an inspection by an American dominated team. It accuses the leader of the team, Scott Ritter, of spying for the US. Iraq bans weapons inspectors
January 23, 1998 - Richard Butler, UNSCOM chairman, addresses the UN security Council and presents a bleak report. Iraq will provide no new information on its weapons programme. UN discusses continuing crisis over Iraq
January 28, 1998 - President Clinton delivers his State of the Union address, and says the US is prepared to carry out a military attack against Iraq. Clinton address applauded
February 9, 1998 - The Arab League puts forward proposals to end the crisis. It says the inspection teams should be chosen by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan. Arab bid to solve Iraqi crisis
February 11, 1998 - The Iraqi government supports a Russian proposal which would give UNSCOM access to eight presidential sites to carry out one-off inspections. The idea is rejected by both the US and Britain. Iraqi concessions 'unacceptable'
February 13, 1998 - The United States insists it will not walk away from stopping Iraq developing weapons of mass destruction, and Russian objections would not prevent use of force. Russia says diplomatic effort should not end before Kofi Annan visits Baghdad. Russia warns US against military action
February 17, 1998 - Kofi Annan wins Security Council approval for a peace mission to Baghdad but the US reserves the right to disagree with the results. President Clinton says a solution must ensure unfettered access for weapons inspections. Clinton 'prepared to act'
February 20, 1998 - Annan arrives in Baghdad, saying he has a "sacred duty" to try to defuse the crisis. In Jordan, a bystander is killed in clashes between police and a crowd of worshippers demonstrating in support of Iraq. Annan arrives on 'sacred' peace mission
February 22, 1998 - The UN secretary general holds a three-hour meeting with Saddam Hussein, and the UN later announces a deal on weapons inspections. The US says it will await Kofi Annan's formal report to the Security Council. US keeps veto option open
February 23, 1998 - Kofi Annan formally announces the agreement in joint news conference with Tariq Aziz. Iraq says it was diplomacy, not sabre-rattling, that helped conclude the agreement. Annan signs deal with Iraq
February 26, 1998 - American Republicans claim that President Clinton has handed Washington's policy on Iraq over to the United Nations. US:Can Clinton sell Iraqi deal?
February 27, 1998 - Richard Butler endorses the agreement, while Kofi Annan tells UN staff not to be disheartened by criticism of the deal. UN weapons inspector supports Annan's Iraq deal
March 3, 1998 - The United States and Britain say that the UN Security Council has reached agreement on a resolution warning Iraq of "severest consequences" if it fails to honour the agreement.
March 26, 1998 - UN weapons experts accompanied by diplomats begin a two-week series of inspections of Iraqi presidential sites.
April 3, 1998 - Inspectors complete their initial search of the eight presidential sites with a visit to President Saddam Hussein's main palace in Baghdad. Initial searches end
April 9, 1998 - A UN report claims Iraq is continuing to hold back information about its germ warfare programme. Iraq still holding back on weapons
April 17, 1998 - UN inspectors say they have made no progress in verifying whether Iraq has destroyed its weapons of mass destruction.
April 18, 1998 - The Iraqi Foreign Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf describes UN inspectors report as "baseless and boring" and calls for a time limit to be set on inspections. Iraq calls for time limit
April 28, 1998 - UN decides that it is too early to lift sanctions against Iraq, renewing the embargo for another six months. But the US acknowledges progress in the access to presidential and sensitive sites. Iraq sanctions stay
May 1, 1998 - In an open letter to the Security Council, Iraq warns of grave consequences if UN sanctions against it are not lifted.
May 20, 1998 - Weapons inspectors resume their search for Iraqi chemical warheads.
May 26, 1998 - Richard Butler says he intends to draw up a list of outstanding issues that must be addressed by Baghdad to see sanctions lifted by October. On the same day the US announces it is to cut its forces in the Gulf. Official sets out sanctions 'road map' US cuts Gulf forces
June 11, 1998 - After presenting proposed disarmament measures to the Security Council, UN weapons inspectors arrive in Baghdad for talks aimed at ending international sanctions.
June 15, 1998 - The UN and Iraq strike a two-month deal which would verify disarmament and pave the way towards the lifting of sanctions. UN secures disarmament deal Iraq welcomes UN deal
June 19, 1998 - The Security Council approves a resolution allowing Iraq to spend $300m on importing spare parts to improve its oil facilities. UN approves Iraqi oil spend Iraq warms to oil offer
June 24, 1998 - Richard Butler confirms reports that traces of the nerve gas VX has been found in Iraqi missile fragments. Iraq had always insisted it had not weaponised VX. UN confirms nerve gas reports Iraq rejects nerve gas claims
June 30, 1998 - An American fighter plane opens fire on an Iraqi missile site. The US Defence Department says the action was taken after four British Tornado military jets were illuminated by Iraqi radar. US plane targets Iraqi missile site Iraq condemns 'US aggression'
July 30, 1998 - Iraq warns that it will take unspecified action unless the UN embargo is lifted. A statement issued after a meeting of Iraqi leaders said the visit by Richard Butler the following week would be crucial.
August 4, 1998 - Richard Butler leaves Baghdad after talks collapse on proposals designed to ensure Iraq is fulfilling its committments to destroy weapons of mass destruction. Tariq Aziz said it was pointless becoming involved in an unending process to prove what the Iraqis had already shown. Iraq arms talks collapse
September 29, 1998 - UN arms inspector Scott Ritter tells the BBC why he left the international team investigating Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Inspector condemns UN
October 27, 1998 - Richard Butler, says tests carried out by international scientists confirm that Iraq filled missile warheads with the deadly nerve agent VX before the 1991 Gulf War. UN says Iraq made deadly weapons
October 28, 1998 - The Iraqi army embarks on a training exercise to enable hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens to defend themselves. Iraqi army starts mass training
October 31, 1998 - The Iraqi leadership says it has ceased all co-operation with investigations and monitoring by the UN Special Commission. Iraq stops Unscom
November 10, 1998 The United States warns that Iraq will be able to rebuild its weapons programme in a matter of months unless the international community takes action over its obstruction of UN weapons inspections. Iraq could rearm 'in months'
November 11, 1998 The United Nations withdraws all non-essential personnel from Iraq, amid speculation that the United States is preparing a military attack. UN withdraws staff from Iraq
November 14, 1998 Iraq sends letter to the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan offering to allow UN weapons inspections to resume. Iraq backs down
November 17, 1998 UN weapons inspectors return to Iraq after Baghdad's promise to allow them to continue their work narrowly averts air strikes. Inspectors return
December 10, 1998 Inspectors vow to press on with surprise inspections despite a dispute with Baghdad over access. Inspectors in new row
December 16, 1998 The UN orders weapons inspectors out of Iraq hours after the chief UN weapons inspector, Richard Butler, issued a report complaining that the Iraqis were still failing to co-operate. UN orders inspectors out
December 16-17, 1998 Hundreds of cruise missiles are fired into Iraq by US forces, marking the start of strikes to punish the Baghdad government for obstructing the work of the UN weapons inspectors. US strikes Baghdad
Like you said, there has been a Soviet/Iraqi connection going way back and I am now totally convinced that not a single Democrat office-holder or high-profile dupe exists, who doesn't have a blackmailable episode in his past.
This Ritter development and the new book ("Something Happened") by Gregory L. Vistica, about what really happened in Vietnam when ex-Sen. Robert Kerry was a Navy Seal, makes me certain.
From Ted Kennedy's auto aquatics to Robert Byrd's Klan affiliation to the contents of Arianna Huffington's "closet"...show me a left-winger, and I'll show you a very deep, very dark past.
Might that be "Arkanacide"...?
My pleasure! I hold our guys who "did it in the tub" in the highest regard!!
A 'Nam-era USAF salute to you, Sir!
"Intimidation and Coercion: In the past, Iraq did not hesitate to use pressure tactics to obtain information about the inspectors. Often the pressure was quite crude. During the UNSCOM period, one inspector was reportedly filmed in a compromising situation and blackmailed."
Exclusive: Scott Ritter in His Own Words
The former weapons inspector explains his switch from getting up Saddam's nose to picking fights with Bush
By MASSIMO CALABRESI
Scott Ritter was the UN's top weapons inspector in Iraq until 1998, when he resigned claiming President Clinton was too easy on Saddam. Now he says the dictator doesn't seem to have weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and that trying to oust Saddam is "extremely dangerous." TIME's Massimo Calabresi asked the voluble former marine about his recent private trip to Baghdad, Jane Fonda, and accusations he's a spy for Israel, Iraq or Russia.
Time: What were you doing in Baghdad?
Ritter: Waging peace. My goal in Baghdad was to facilitate a debate here in the United States on America's policy toward Iraq, a debate that's been sadly lacking. We're facing a critical moment in American history and I believe this is something that has to be more thoroughly looked at. Why go to Iraq? You're talking to me now because I went to Iraq. I've been saying the exact same thing for years and I didn't get the call from Time magazine.
Who paid for the trip? Were any of your expenses paid for by the Iraqis?
No. The only thing that could be construed as an Iraqi expense is that they provided a vehicle that drove me from the hotel to the meetings with the government officials. I did not reimburse them for the gas used or the time of the driver.
Some on the right call you the new Jane Fonda, and joke about what you'll call your exercise video.
(Long pause?) Those on the right who say that disgrace the 12 years of service I gave to my country as a Marine. I love my country. I'll put my record of service up against anyone, bar none. If they want to have an exercise video then why don't they come here and say it to my face and I'll give'm an exercise video, which will be called, "Scott Ritter Kicking Their Ass."
In 1998, you said Saddam had "not nearly disarmed." Now you say he doesn't have weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Why did you change your mind?
I have never given Iraq a clean bill of health! Never! Never! I've said that no one has backed up any allegations that Iraq has reconstituted WMD capability with anything that remotely resembles substantive fact. To say that Saddam's doing it is in total disregard to the fact that if he gets caught he's a dead man and he knows it. Deterrence has been adequate in the absence of inspectors but this is not a situation that can succeed in the long term. In the long term you have to get inspectors back in.
Iraq's borders are porous. Why couldn't Saddam have obtained the capacity to produce WMD since 1998 when the weapons inspectors left?
I am more aware than any UN official that Iraq has set up covert procurement funds to violate sanctions. This was true in 1997-1998, and I'm sure its true today. Of course Iraq can do this. The question is, has someone found that what Iraq has done goes beyond simple sanctions violations? We have tremendous capabilities to detect any effort by Iraq to obtain prohibited capability. The fact that no one has shown that he has acquired that capability doesn't necessarily translate into incompetence on the part of the intelligence community. It may mean that he hasn't done anything.
Are you being investigated for espionage?
I've been called a spy of Israel since 1996, and since I made my documentary film in 2000 the FBI has investigated me as an agent of Iraq. The FBI has also opened up an investigation into my wife calling her a KGB spy. So there is this form of harassment taking place.
Did you write a report, at the time you were doing inspections in Votkinsk in the Soviet Union in 1988 that said the group your wife worked for was full of spies?
No. I indicated that given past models of Soviet penetration techniques that these young girls, of which my wife was one, who were brought in by the Soviets to carry out translation services had been used in the past to attempt sexual compromise. I subsequently wrote a series of reports that said this did not appear to be the case in Votkinsk. In fact, because of the human intelligence work I did in the Soviet Union I was able to ascertain that the girls were actually dissatisfied with the Soviets. They showed a tendency to speak out against the KGB to the U.S. inspectors.
You've spoke about having seen the children's prisons in Iraq. Can you describe what you saw there?
The prison in question is at the General Security Services headquarters, which was inspected by my team in Jan. 1998. It appeared to be a prison for children — toddlers up to pre-adolescents — whose only crime was to be the offspring of those who have spoken out politically against the regime of Saddam Hussein. It was a horrific scene. Actually I'm not going to describe what I saw there because what I saw was so horrible that it can be used by those who would want to promote war with Iraq, and right now I'm waging peace.
You told the Iraqi parliament that Saddam had legitimate complaints about the prior inspection regime. What did you mean?
The U.S. had a track record of putting pressure on the weapons inspectors program during my entire seven years there. It's ironic that everyone has focused on the struggle of the inspectors vs. Iraq. Not too many people speak of the struggle between the weapons inspectors and the U.S. to beat back the forces of U.S. intelligence which were seeking to infiltrate the weapons inspectors program and use the unique access the inspectors enjoyed in Iraq for purposes other than disarmament. Iraq has a clear case that under this past inspection regime unfortunately it was misused for purposes other than set out by the Security Council resolution.
Did you get any spying done on your trip?
Haha. Did I spy on Iraq my most recent trip? I wasn't there to collect intelligence on Iraq. To be frank, I didn't see barricades in the streets or earthen berms being erected or fortifications underway. I did see a lot of troops in the streets and I saw that Iraq had beefed up their air defense in the capital. I saw that they were moving these air defense units frequently to avoid a strike. But I wasn't there to carry out a full canvas of Iraq's military capabilities.
Are you being investigated for espionage?I've been called a spy of Israel since 1996, and since I made my documentary film in 2000 the FBI has investigated me as an agent of Iraq. The FBI has also opened up an investigation into my wife calling her a KGB spy. So there is this form of harassment taking place.
Did you write a report, at the time you were doing inspections in Votkinsk in the Soviet Union in 1988 that said the group your wife worked for was full of spies?
No. I indicated that given past models of Soviet penetration techniques that these young girls, of which my wife was one, who were brought in by the Soviets to carry out translation services had been used in the past to attempt sexual compromise. I subsequently wrote a series of reports that said this did not appear to be the case in Votkinsk. In fact, because of the human intelligence work I did in the Soviet Union I was able to ascertain that the girls were actually dissatisfied with the Soviets. They showed a tendency to speak out against the KGB to the U.S. inspectors.
50 posted on 01/23/2003 1:48 PM CST by The Great Satan
Police say they caught him trying to meet young girls over the internet...but former U.N. Weapons inspector Scott Ritter never spent a day in jail.
Legal experts say that's unusual...most others accused of similar crimes meet a much different fate.
Jeffrey Johnson serving 7 years in prison...nabbed by police in 1997 for trying to hook up with a 12-year old girl he met on the Internet.
Robert Rodriguez facing up to 15 years behind bars...for a similar crime involving a 14 year old.
Former U.N. Weapons inspector Scott Ritter caught in 2001 for allegedly trying to meet a 16 year old girl he chatted with online.
But Ritter’s a free man...his case adjourned in contemplation of dismissal.... The judge, the ADAA, my lawyer, reached an ACOD and my file was sealed. I am obligated legally and ethically not to discuss matters pertaining to that.
I’ve never heard of an ACOD in a situation like this. Former federal prosecutor Donald kinchella says the outcome of Ritter’s case is not the norm...especially since Ritter was also nabbed 3 months before the arrest and got off with just a warning.
People who do this just don't do it once. There's something there. No police officer or anyone else wants to see someone like this out on the streets where they can have contact with children.
Ritter was allegedly supposed to meet the teenage girl at this Menands Burger King...but was met by cops instead...a common tactic in internet sex stings...
If someone communicated with someone they think is a kid and had conversations about sex and then they show up where they set the meeting up, I can't imagine what the innocent explanation would be.
With Ritter’s case-- and his lips -- sealed...we may never hear his explanation. The feds generally dole out harsher penalties. They were never involved in Scott Ritter’s case.
Nicholas Arons: You used the word containment to describe our policy in Iraq. Given what you've said here and written in your book -- that Iraq doesn't have the capacity to use chemical, biological, or nuclear missiles -- why are sanctions still being sustained?
Scott Ritter: Because Saddam Hussein is still in power. Plain and simple.
Bert Sacks: Why did you take this risk of publicly resigning? Why did you step off the cliff?
Scott Ritter: I know what makes me tick. I just know that when I look in the mirror in the morning I need to be pretty happy with myself. I was waking up looking in the mirror saying why are you in Iraq and what are you doing? You are supposed to be carrying our UN mandate and you are not being allowed to. Then there is a choice: do you go quietly or do you go noisily and try to change things. My training as a marine corps officer taught me that you cannot back away from a problem. You have to tackle it head on, whether that problem is sniper who I have to kill or that problem is failed foreign policy in Iraq. We were being ambushed by the Administration on Iraq so I jumped off the cliff and I am still falling. I would never hold other people to my standards of what made me do that. I am married, I have two children who are helpless, her parents are refugees who have nothing.
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