NATO memo says Iraq planning preemptive strike with missiles near Kuwait

Geostrategy-direct ^ | March 4, 2003 | Bill Gertz

[Mossad1967]

A classified memorandum from NATO Secretary General George Robertson states that Iraqi military forces have moved missiles close to Kuwait.

The memo said NATO intelligence indicated Iraq could use the missiles near Kuwait to conduct a preemptive attack in advance of U.S. military action.

"Today's (NATO) intelligence reporting ... shows that Saddam has moved CBW-capable ballistic missiles close to the Kuwait border," Robertson stated in the memo, which was first reported by Belgian state television.

The NATO secretary general asked in the memo why Iraq would move the missiles to a position where they can be attacked. "There can be only one reason: that Saddam is planning to use these weapons preemptively," he stated.

"He is giving himself the choice of using them or losing them. I have no doubt which he will choose," Robertson said in the memo marked "NATO Confidential." The memo was derived from speaking notes of a NATO meeting of ambassadors Feb. 12.

[Future Useless Eater]

February 2003
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Baghdad  SunSet  SunRise
				27   3%  +11.2hrs	28   2% Blackout	01   1% Blackout	5:59pm   6:30am
March 2003
02   0% Blackout	03   0% Blackout	04   1%  -11.2hrs	05   2%  -10.2hrs	06   3%  -9.3hrs	07   5%  -8.4hrs	08   7%  -7.4hrs	6:04pm   6:22am
09   9%  -6.4hrs	10 11%  -5.4hrs	11 13%  -4.5hrs	12 15%  -3.5hrs	13 20%  -2.6hrs	14 26%  -1.8hrs	15 34%  -1.0hrs	6:10pm   6:12am
16 44%  n/a	17 55%  n/a	18100%  n/a					6:15pm   6:03am
Legend:       (%)Luminance compared to a Full Moon         (Starlight alone is 1/2 of 1% of a Full Moon) Nighttime TOTAL BLACKOUT period       ( + ) hours AFTER sunset when Moon is behind the Earth, OR       ( - ) hours BEFORE sunRISE when Moon behind the Earth (Times not adjusted for 25 minutes of civil twilight after sunset or before dawn) (Luminance figures are approximate based on an average lunar cycle. Figures are even less when the moon is lower in the sky ... and crescent moons don't get very high in the sky until after daybreak) .

It is now dawn - Thursday morning in Baghdad.

We are now beginning a prime nighttime 'opportunity' - SEVEN nights in a row with NO MOON or virtually no moon all night long.

Tonight, when it next gets dark, there will be over 11 hours of PITCH DARKNESS. The moon will be just a tiny sliver, and it will appear for only the first hour before sunrise. The intensity of that moon under ideal circumstances (like from South America at mid-day), would appear 3% as bright as a Full Moon.

But in Baghdad, in the hour before sunrise, it will only barely be noticeable on the horizon, and will be less than ONE PERCENT of the brightness of a Full Moon. That, plus it will be washed out by dawn's early light.
So this period will have 'virtually' NO Moon ALL night long.

Then, the next FOUR consecutive nights will be a TOTAL BLACKOUT by anyone's definition, because the moon will be behind the Earth ALL NIGHT LONG. [The moon rises and sets in 10.5 hours, but the winter nights are still 12.5 hours long] The four dates are shown as Feb 28, Mar 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

Then, the next two nights: March 4th/5th, and 5th/6th, will be like tonight, except in reverse. The tiny crescents on those nights will be barely noticable in the dusk of SUNSET. Those tiny crescents will be followed by undisturbed pitch blackness ALL NIGHT long.

Detailed Local Forecast For Baghdad, Iraq

Click for updates

      Last Updated Thursday, February 27, at 5:47 AM Local Time (Wednesday 9:47 PM EST)

Today: Partly cloudy. High 61F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight: Some clouds. Low 41F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow: Sunshine along with some passing clouds. High 64F. Winds NNW
at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low 41F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday: Partial sunshine. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 30s.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 60s and lows in the low 30s.

Monday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 40s.

Tuesday: Partial sunshine. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the upper 40s.

Wednesday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 80s
and lows in the upper 40s.

Thursday: Partial sunshine. Highs in the upper 80s
and lows in the mid 50s.

Friday: A few thunderstorms possible. Highs in the low 70s and lows
in the low 50s.

Saturday: Partial sunshine. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 40s.

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

---

Advice to Saddam: Better put some ice on that.

[Beck_isright]

Howdy local! I agree, but March 3, UTC will be the ideal time. The markets will be shocked as well as numbnuts. So let's go W, let my friends and comrades rock and roll!!!!

[bobi]

Yup! So go attack before he does attack.

Looks like Middle East 1967 situation a Mossad? :)

Israel was so sure that the Arabs will attack so it did a preemtive attack it self one morning.

[Woodstock]

March 3 is my birthday.

[glock rocks]

happy birthday.

[Chad Fairbanks]

I wouldn't count on it friday or saturday - that's right around payday... ;0)

[Scott from the Left Coast]

No surprises here.

[Tacis]

Alas, Saddam is not stupid enough to launch a premptive strike against Kuwait. Were he to do so, the entire international political dynamic would shift.

[AUsome Joy]

My son's birthday is March 3rd also. Next week it will be 03-03-03. Happy Birthday early!!!

[ET(end tyranny)]

Would those be the missiles that don't exist?

[jonsie]

03-03-03 sounds good, on the count of three.......boom. However, I like 03-04 March 4 (forth)

[jlogajan]

No way would Saddam strike first. He has a large supporting of international useful idiots -- that might just save him to kill again. Once he pulls the trigger he is a dead man. Won't happen.

[Amerigomag]

Saddam is not stupid enough to launch a premptive strike against Kuwait

He doesn't have to "launch". All missile systems require clearly detectable preparation to launch. Involved, obvious preparation in the case of liquid fueled rockets and less, but dectectable, activity for solid fuel systems.

Should Iraq initiate that preparation the US will respond with force protection measures. The results will be a political headache for the US. We will be forced to preemptively attack and will not be prepared to sustain these activities beyond the destruction of the offending missiles. The start of a war and no war.

This posturing works in Iraq's favor. Yes he loses the missiles but creates a fuss for the US in the on going political battle at the UN.

[JamminJAY]

February 2003?

Jammer

[Shaka]

For the 1,000,000 time!!!! Let's freakin' roll!!!!

This he said, she said...France does'nt want it, germany's not sure...screw them. Let's just go LIBERATE IRAQ!!! Damnit!

[Jeff Chandler]

Great post! Thanks.

[Empireoftheatom48]

You got it let's go,go,go, now,now,now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Travis McGee]

Outstanding compilation, kudos!

[glock rocks]

he's a dead man anyhow. what to lose?