Saddam: I won't destroy missiles

Guardian ^ | 2/25/03 | Gary Younge in New York

[kattracks]

Saddam Hussein last night defied the US chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, when he refused to destroy his Samoud 2 missiles and called instead on US president George Bush to join him in a televised debate.

In an exclusive interview with the CBS news anchor, Dan Rather, to be screened in the US tomorrow night, the Iraqi leader denied that the Samouds violated UN mandates and said he would not destroy them.

No transcripts of the first interview that President Saddam has conducted with a foreign journalist for 12 years were available last night. But Mr Rather said: "Saddam indicated he does not intend to destroy the missiles or pledge to destroy them as demanded by Blix."

President Saddam's challenge to a live, televised debate on the crisis with Mr Bush was dismissed out of hand by the White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer.

"This is not a serious issue. There is no debating his need to disarm," he said.

The order to destroy the Samoud missiles is emerging as a test of how serious the Iraqi regime is about disarmament. The order was issued after experts decided that the missile flew farther than the 150km (93 mile) limit set down by the UN in 1991

[Post Toasties]

Hey, Gary Younge -

Hans Blix is the UN's chief weapons inspector, not the US's.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Will Blather pose next to Saddam like he did with Castro?

[Mike Darancette]

...the US chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix..

Huh?

Betcha that Saddam will say that he will destroy the missiles, if he didn't even Jimmy Carter would have to say "Go git 'em".

[xm177e2]

From AndrewSullivan.com:

NOT JUST THE MISSILES: Saddam would be truly dumb not to destroy his al Samoud missiles. Although they're not WMDs, they are illegal under the current sanctions. And the p.r. effect of destroying them would be enormous among the gullible peace-at-any-price Europeans. But it's the WMDs - especially the unaccounted for anthrax, botulinum, and VX gas - that we need real answers about. And action.

[Robert_Paulson2]

yes he will....

and all the world will oooohhh and aaaahhhh "see sadaam has seen the light, but the evil bush and blair monsters STILl are not satisfied..."

puke.
and then nuke.

[FreeReign]

Will Blather pose next to Saddam like he did with Castro?

Will Rather keep both pictures on his night stand so that he can have nice little statist dreams?

[AZLiberty]

Unless Saddam has them armed and ready to fire, these missiles will be among the first targets of the "shock and awe" phase. Perhaps Mr. Blix will be happy to keep an eye -- and a GPS -- on them so we know where to shoot.

Now that Saddam has flipped us off, I don't see any reason to wait till mid-March for the French and the rest of the UN-SCUM to come around.

[AF68]

What a schmuck. Poor boot-licking Dan must have been surprised and shaken by Saddam's "bite me" response to the UN and ludicrous debate challenge. There are some bloody leftist tyrants even Dan Rather is ashamed to love.

[Fabozz]

"Saddam would be truly dumb not to destroy his al Samoud missiles."

Yeah, this refusal is mind-boggling. Saddam is evil, not crazy or stupid. What on Earth can he be thinking? These al-Samouds are virtually meaningless to his warfighting ability—they're converted SA-2 SAMs, with a payload equivalent to maybe ten artillery shells. Heck, if Saddam were really smart he'd have built these toys simply to have something to give up. If he let Blix take them away, the "peace in our time" crowd would almost unquestionably carry the day, and any threat of war within the next year (at least) would vanish overnight, buying him time to finish his nuke.

Brining down Saddam over the al-Samoud is like busting Al Capone for tax evasion. If it gets the job done, well, so be it, but the whole situation is faintly absurd.

[PianoMan]

"His name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson."

(fight club reference???)

[Bonaparte]

Hey, you know you're not supposed to talk about fight club.

[truth_seeker]

In an indirect way, Bush and Saddam will "debate" on television.

Like 1991, CNN will carry the debate, which will be upon a brightly lit stage, called "Iraq." Bush will win.

For strategy, Saddam again proves stormin' Norman correct: 'he isn't very good'

This refusal could be the mistake, which opens the path...probably a BIG mistake, of strategery.

[MarkM]

At the very last minute Saddam will agree to destroy the missiles. And then the French will say, "see, Saddams a good guy after all. Its just you meanie Americans who caused this whole problem."

[Robert_Paulson2]

cute...

there IS one in every town....
you can almost sense it.

The smell of sweat, blood and hair on the dank basement floors of abandoned buildings and bar room basements.

testosterone... don't leave home without it.

[Mo1]

But Mr Rather said: "Saddam indicated he does not intend to destroy the missiles or pledge to destroy them as demanded by Blix."

Fine .. we'll destroy them for him

[dpwiener]

At the very last minute Saddam will agree to destroy the missiles.

That's what everyone is assuming. It's Saddam's obvious move, to make it look like he's obeying the U.N. inspectors. And it would be incredibly idiotic for him to fail to do so.

And yet... It's conceivable that his own arrogance and enormous ego might do him in. Now that he's given an interview to Dan Rather, and explicitly refused to destroy the missiles (if in fact he was that clear about it in the interview), he'd look weak and afraid if he backed down. Saddam's precarious position depends upon his convincing his own people (especially his own generals) that obeying him is less deadly to their health than throwing in their lot with the Americans.

If Hussein has boxed himself in, and fails to destroy the missiles, that will finally give the rest of the Security Council the political cover it needs to cave into U.S. pressure. Even France might throw in the towel.

[dc-zoo]

No.. France wont throw in the towel. They will just use the white towel to make another surrender flag.

[WOSG]

Saddam is quite rational. he determined, correctly, that we will attack in any case, missiles or no. at most destroying the missiles buys him a few weeks. once the UN resolution is passed - or not - we go in.

Saddam would have to destroy *all* his weapons to avoid war.

And he wont do it. His only chance is to hang on france and germany.

[Professional]

Saddam: I won't destroy missiles

Fine, we have enough resolutions where even Sesame Street wont save you! We can outcount you Saddam.

[Octar]

I like Ari Fleischer. Compare him to DeDe (Bovine) Meyers.

[syriacus]

 Saddam Hussein last night defied the US chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, when he refused to destroy his Samoud 2 missiles and called instead on US president George Bush to join him in a televised debate.

Saddam's way of thinking sounds more and more like that of Senator Chuck Schmearer (D-NY).

• "I have a law degree, but I won't bother using it. I'll go into politics, instead."
• "If only you would do this (idiotic thing), I will go along with your request."
• "Let's discuss this a little more."
• "My team may have lost the war/election to Bush's team, but I will obstruct almost every legitimate action taken by the winning team."
• "Why bother with telling the truth, when a lie will serve your ends?"
• "I think the government should take guns away from people who hold opinions different than mine."

[syriacus]

I forgot to mention.

• Both Schmearer and Saddam like starting wars.

Democrats Will Try to Filibuster Judicial Nominees

When President Bush took office, Senate Democrats started a campaign to block his judicial appointments. They hoped it would help them keep Senate control and win the next fight over a Supreme Court vacancy.

The campaign started with an unprecedented 42 votes against John Ashcroft’s nomination as attorney general. That vote, as Sen. Charles Schumer (D.-N.Y.) put it, was designed to send a "shot across the bow" on future judicial appointments, since 41 votes will sustain a nominee filibuster.

[carton253]

Not unless he wants war... and he does.

[Poohbah]

Suit yourself, Saddam ol' buddy.

If you won't destroy the missiles, we'll take care of 'em for you.

[dennisw]

yes he will....

and all the world will oooohhh and aaaahhhh "see sadaam has seen the light, but the evil bush and blair monsters STILl are not satisfied..."

Of course that's what's going to happen. The give away is that as part of the charade, China, Russia and France have told him to destroy them. He'll destroy them at a snail's pace.

[alrea]

Betcha that Saddam will say that he will destroy the missiles, if he didn't even Jimmy Carter would have to say "Go git 'em".

SH may be ready to fight it out; only if he has a good idea that he'll be able to inflict monumental damage on invaders.

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Bill Davis FR]

if saddam insane won't destroy them then bush and blair will...

[Bonaparte]

"testosterone... don't leave home without it."

LOL! Words to live (and die) by, RP2.