News about Iraq, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
Chronology of Coverage


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Carter vows U.S. will continue, even step up operations over disputed South China Sea island

Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Saturday urged China to stop trying to convert an artificial reefs in the South China Sea land into a military airfield but that the U.S. has no intentions of ending air and sea operation in the regions.
"not aware of the situation "

U.S. Says China Has Placed Mobile Artillery
On Reclaimed Island



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What Saddam had was considerably better than Iraq being on the cusp of a nuke. A little mustard gas was only going to kill ragheads. Now the whole region is imbalanced and the industrial military complex wants increased war activity to fill their coffers. Classic repub (not conservative) posturing.

With the state budget forecast to have a 400 million dollar shortfall, Kansas Republicans are finally acknowledging that the massive GOP tax cuts approved under Governor Sam Brownback have not generated the revenue Republican lawmakers promised. The right-wing Kansas Legislature is now contemplating the unthinkable — raising taxes to plug the budget hole.

The legislature which passed drastic tax cuts in 2012 is now scrambling to find ways to undo the damage their shortsighted approach has inflicted upon the state’s economy and its services. Republicans are acknowledging that they can no longer cut their way to growth, having already taken the budget ax to state pensions, public schools, and government programs.

Republican Senator Les Donovan (Wichita) admitted the failure of the GOP’s tax cuts.

Q: Were there really weapons of mass destruction in Iraq when the U.S. invaded in 2003?

A: No. The Iraq Survey Group determined that Iraq had abandoned its quest to develop chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and that it had already destroyed all of its existing stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons.



FULL QUESTION

I have friends in Texas, Seattle and Tennessee who say President Bush was right that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. They claim that the weapons were hidden in caves in the mountains, and are still hidden there, but we have not found them yet. Where did they get such ideas, and is there even the slightest chance they are right, and if so why wouldn’t Bush have said this? How did such a belief get started, and is there a way I can dispel them of the idea?

FULL ANSWER


As for how you dispel your friends’ notions that Iraq really did have stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons when President Bush no longer makes such claims himself, we suggest ridicule. If that doesn’t work, you may be out of luck.

After the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Bush administration formed the Iraq Survey Group and tasked it with the job of locating WMD stockpiles in Iraq. The ISG was staffed with hundreds of intelligence analysts and military personnel from the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. The group scoured Iraq, searching for deposits of weapons. But that was actually only part of the ISG’s focus.

According to the ISG final report, the search for WMDs actually began during the invasion phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom. A military task force was deployed to investigate suspected WMD sites on the theory that the Iraqi military might otherwise employ those weapons against coalition troops. After the invasion, the ISG was established to conduct "a more systematic collection of evidence to build an understanding of Iraqi WMD programs." In other words, the ISG did not simply look for WMDs. The group also looked at Iraq’s WMD capabilities and examined evidence relating to past WMD stockpiles.

During its investigation, the ISG reported that "[a] total of 53 munitions have been recovered, all of which appear to have been part of pre-1991 Gulf war stocks based on their physical condition and residual components." These isolated discoveries received significant media attention, and it’s likely that these overhyped reports contributed to your friends’ beliefs that Iraq really did possess WMDs. But the finds were rare, and the ISG concluded that they were not part of a significant stockpile of weapons. Indeed, after nearly two years of investigation, the ISG concluded that:
◾"Saddam Husayn ended the nuclear program in 1991 following the Gulf war. ISG found no evidence to suggest concerted efforts to restart the program."
◾"While a small number of old, abandoned chemical munitions have been discovered, ISG judges that Iraq unilaterally destroyed its undeclared chemical weapons stockpile in 1991. There are no credible indications that Baghdad resumed production of chemical munitions thereafter."
◾"In practical terms, with the destruction of the Al Hakam facility, Iraq abandoned its ambition to obtain advanced BW [biological warfare] weapons quickly. ISG found no direct evidence that Iraq, after 1996, had plans for a new BW program or was conducting BW-specific work for military purposes."

Experts from the three nations failed to document any existent biological or nuclear weapons and discovered only a few random chemical weapons. The ISG concluded that contrary to what most of the world had believed, Iraq had abandoned attempts to produce WMDs. In his congressional testimony, the head of the ISG, Charles Duelfer, admitted, "We were almost all wrong" on Iraq.

The ISG report was sufficient to convince the Bush administration that there were no WMDs to be found; they called off the search in 2005. If that doesn’t convince your friends, we’re not sure what else might do the trick. Anyone who believes something without any positive evidence and in the face of evidence to the contrary is no longer acting on the basis of reason.

White House: US won't be 'responsible' for 'security situation' in Iraq

The White House on Thursday, in no uncertain terms, put the onus on the Iraqis to fight and defeat the Islamic State -- even as a new report warned foreign fighters are flocking to the battlefield at a historic and dangerous pace.


they are still "fine-tuning" that strategy.



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quote:

Originally posted by Bob H:
Q: Were there really weapons of mass destruction in Iraq when the U.S. invaded in 2003?

reminder: Hillary Clinton's floor speech 2002 supporting Iraq invasion

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001.

It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security.

Now this much is undisputed."

- Sen. Hillary Clinton, floor speech on A Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq. October 10, 2002 http://clinton.senate.gov/speeches/iraq_101002.html

http://www.democraticundergrou...&address=132x4819473

quote:

intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program.

This info came from Bush's intelligence team.

Who would have guessed????????
Nice try Marie.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Koski:
Now even the liberal left-wing rag new york times is admitting that there were WMD in Iraq when President Bush began "HIS WAR"!!!!!
How many times have we seen the boobs and RETARDS recite "President Bush lied and people died" here and other places?????
Will apologies be coming??????????????????????????
HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/B]
RETARD #1 APLOGIZE NOW then crawl back under your rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STILL A MORON,Some things never change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:

This info came from Bush's intelligence team.

2 faced big mouth.

Now even the liberal left-wing rag new york times is admitting that there were WMD in Iraq when President Bush began "HIS WAR"!!!!!
How many times have we seen the boobs and RETARDS recite "President Bush lied and people died" here and other places?????
Will apologies be coming??????????????????????????
HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/B]
RETARDS APLOGIZE NOW then crawl back under your rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obama Administration Flacks Defend Iran over Alleged Nuclear Violations

The White House and the State Department are pushing back with unusual vigor against a New York Times article Monday that reports that “Tehran’s stockpile of nuclear fuel increased about 20 percent over the last 18 months of negotiations.” The revelation, based on the most recent reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Institute for Science and International Security, contradicts President Barack Obama’s repeated claims to have “frozen” Iran’s progress toward a nuclear weapon. The new information also suggests that Iran is, or will be, in violation of the interim nuclear deal.

Obama’s PR flacks cannot admit what Iran is doing, because then they would admit Obama has lied to the world. They protect Iran because in protecting Iran, they protect Obama.

Effectively, they are now tools of the Iranian regime.



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This thread entertained me all last night, but my thoughts on what going on seem to be the same . All governments are corrupted and Big business is running the show. That's all I got, wish I knew the fix.

There's a gigantic difference between the money people supporting the FLEEBAGGERS and even the rino Republicans.
The FLEEBAGGERS have zoros, a rabid anti-American and steyer, a whack job greenie out to destroy the economy, PLUS whatever foreigner they can glom onto money from.
The Republicans MAINLY have legitimate business people who are protecting their interests but aren't out to destroy our way of life doing it!!!!!

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Sessions to Obama: Why Are You Keeping Obamatrade’s New Global Governance Secret?

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, has written a scathing new letter to President Barack Obama pressuring him to explain why Obamatrade has been so secretive.
Exclusive–

Harry Reid Calls Trade Push By Obama And GOP
'Insanity'




Obama Plans to Free Up to 10 Detainees from Guantanamo Bay Soon

The Obama administration, while the Senate debates halting transfers out of the Guantanamo Bay detention center and keeping the prison operable indefinitely, is planning to free up to 10 detainees, possibly in June, Defense One has learned.
Report:



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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Grandma / Gpa,

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UN Accuses Obama of Covering up Iran Sanctions Violations

A new United Nations report suggests that the Obama administration and other western governments may be covering up Iran’s violations of international sanctions of ahead of the upcoming June 30 deadline for a final nuclear deal to be agreed.

‘Whitewash':



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Obama transfers six more Gitmo detainees

Six detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, including two alleged Usama bin Laden bodyguards, have been transferred to Oman, the Pentagon said Saturday.

The terror-related detainees are all from neighboring and embattled Yemen. They departed Friday from the U.S. detention center, at a Naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, created in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks to get terror suspects off battlefields.
including alleged bin Laden bodyguards



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