Blix: Iraq won't use WMD's due to world opinion

[redman]

I see Hans, so they will choose not to use the weapons that they denied having because of world opinion, and not because they don't have them, eh? How 'bout that "progress" we were making with the inspections? Is there any doubt any more that we were right to simply cut of these clowns and their inane inspections process?

Blix: Iraq Hasn't Used Banned Weapons

7 minutes ago

By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS - Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said Thursday there is no evidence that the Iraqis have used banned weapons in the week-old war — and he doesn't believe they will because world opinion would then turn against them.

"So far, we have not identified or heard from the allies that anything that was proscribed would have been used," he said.

At the beginning of the U.S.-led military conflict, there were some statements that Iraq (news - web sites) had fired Scud missiles, which would be illegal, but "this was later on withdrawn," Blix told reporters at U.N. headquarters.

"I have not heard any assertion that there would have been proscribed missiles yet," he said. "It may come."

Blix's comment contradicted a statement by U.S. Central Command in Qatar. Spokesman Jim Wilkinson told The Associated Press Thursday that Iraq had fired at least two missiles exceeding the 150-kilometer (93-mile) limit, one that flew 158 kilometers (about 99 miles) and one that flew 190 kilometers (about 119 miles), since the war started.

Kuwait's U.N. Ambassador Mohammad Abulhasan also claimed in a letter to the Security Council that at least one of 11 missiles fired by Iraq into Kuwait between Thursday and Monday was a banned Scud missile.

Iraq imported Scud-B missiles in 1974 with a range of 300 kilometers (190 miles) and later modified them to extend their range to more than 600 kilometers (372 miles). Under U.N. sanctions imposed after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait, Iraq is not allowed to possess missiles with a range beyond 150 kilometers (93 miles).

Blix said in a report earlier this month that previous U.N. inspectors had reported that all but two of the 819 Scud-B combat missiles had been "effectively" accounted for, but not all could be independently verified including 14 Scud-B missiles used as targets in a missile interception project.

As for chemical and biological weapons, Blix said Thursday there is no indication that Iraq was using them.

"I think everybody will be relieved that no prohibited weapons are being used," Blix said. "I didn't think they would do it because ... the world would say they were liars and ... the skepticism about the armed conflict would, I think, give way to one of greater understanding. ... But I may be wrong.

The chief inspector said his inspectors remain ready to return to Iraq on short notice.

"No one is asking us and we will certainly look to the Security Council which we serve," he said.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) ordered U.N. employees to leave Iraq earlier this month, after the United States, Britain and Spain abandoned efforts to win U.N. backing for military action.

[Awgustlab]

I really wonder what the U.N. would have thought had the 3,000 chemical suits been found by the weapons inspectors, as well as the Atropine, etc. that was in the hospital along with a tank and other weapons. Would it have been dismissed by France as "nothing significant"?? I wonder if this stuff was found by the weapons inspectors before the war started - would it have made a bit of difference to the U.N.'s overall viewpoint of the countries who opposed the attack on Iraq??

[redman]

No, Awgust, they would have touted it as "progress" and a basis for needing further inspections rather than a basis for concluding that the Iraqi's were deceiving them and using the process as a time-wasting sham.

[Awgustlab]

Redman - you're probably right. They need the "smoking gun", not the "smoking chemical protection suits" and "smoking atropine".

[Kilmer17]

Hannity is reporting they found chemical warheads in eastern Iraq.

I have no doubt we will find them. It will be interesting to here the spin when we do.

[redman]

Until I see confirmation by multiple sources, I'm not going to seize upon one "discovery" just yet. If we're right (which I believe we are) about the chemical weapons, it won't be just one discovery anyway.

This is an issue about which we merely need to be patient, as time will prove us right when it provides us the opportunity to scour that country and to question Iraqis who are no longer in fear of their lives about this stuff in ways that the UN inspectors couldn't carry out.

[TennesseeCarl]

The sad bottom line is that people at home and around the world will believe what they want to believe.

If you're pro-Coalition, you'll believe what evidence is offered that Iraq will use chemical weapons. Remember everyone jumping on board when we liberated that 100-acre chemical weapons complex? Haven't heard much more about it.

If you're anti-Coalition (I don't think there really is much of a pro-Iraq group), no matter what evidence is produced, it won't be enough. If there's hard evidence, you'll believe it was planted.

Blix is totally wrong that world opinion will turn on the Iraqis if they use chem-bio weapons. The world will deny it happened. World opinion won't shift toward the Coalition until just before victory conditions are achieved. Then offers of support will be pouring forth.

[Sarge]

Time for Hans to beam back to the Mothership

[codeorama]

Redman is right, it is best to hold judgement...

Today for example on MSNBC... the ticker at the bottom first says a scud was fired and intercepted, then, a minute later it says US officials confirm that no banned weapons have been used by Iraq.

The media is in a hurry to "outscoop" each other and every day there has been proof of that. You get a headline story, but a few hours later, it is very different than when first reported.