My apologies to Fanatical_Knight for replying to
stupidissmart, and in so doing bring us away from the thread
started; but since no one is adding any further contribution, might
as well post a reply to "stupidissmart".
If we look back at the record of events, prior to the outbreak of
this Second Iraq War that resulted in Saddams Regime being
overthrown, certainly Saddam was beginning to talk to the UN
Inspectors. At the same time, Saddam was playing games with the UN
Inspectors, and like a strip teaser , his Representatives were
slowly revealing a little more information each time when the
pressure is notched up another level.
At the rate that the game was played, and the pace dictated by
Saddam, by the time all the information needed by the UN Inspectors
will be made fully and satisfactorily available, it may take
another one to ten years of constant play.
Saddam, like a schools worse scoundrel, was thumbing his nose at
the Class Monitor, with the full knowledge that the Class Monitor
cannot touch him without the sanction of the Principal, whose hands
are tied by the Ministry.
Like the incorrigible school boy, Saddam stretched the
International Rules and tried to buy time by playing the Europeans
against the US, and breaking up the unity of the European Community
with his game of brinkmanship.
He knew that the World Opinion was divided in finding a way to deal
with him, and he made the best use of the indecisiveness of the
World Community.
Unfortunately, Saddam placed his bet with a weak hand in a poker
game with big boys, who were out to make sure that he will not get
any chance to tie up with Al Qaeda, and beat the big boys when they
are sleeping.
After 9-11, in which the USA has been attacked for the first time
by foreigners, can you expect the USA to sit still, when
intelligence reported Saddams WMD program and the beginning of his
relationship with Al Qaeda, the actual Saddams actions of stubborn
refusal to give up information willingly, Saddams game at
brinkmanship, and the past records of Saddams unpredictable
actions that include the use of WMD against innocent Iraqis ?
With all these events on record, any responsible leader will have
to take pre-emptive action, when the evidence is clear that Saddam
is BUYING TIME for himself (and perhaps his WMD Program ? ) .
You are not the only one asking about the whereabouts of the WMD
equipment and end products.
If I am Saddam Hussein, knowing that defeat will be sudden, I will
prepare in advance the dispersal of the WMD, and use it with a
vengeance to hit back at the USA at the time and place of my
choosing.
Saddam has got his first plan accomplished, by successfully hiding
the WMD, his second plan was to successfully hide himself (much
like Osama Bin Laden and the Head Taliban has accomplished)
third, instead of releasing the WMD against the invading US Army
that will end up destroying the Iraqi population and assets, Saddam
will bide his time and take his revenge at a place and time of his
choosing.
Do not be too quick about the Spiced Up Intelligence Report from
the British Side, or even from the US side. The Board of Enquiry
has not ended, and from the last news reported, it was the BBC
Reporter that seemed to have got the facts wrong and twisted the
events to create a scandal concerning the possibility of the
Intelligence Report being Spiced Up. The Enquiry is still
on-going, and the finding has not been concluded.
Concerning the North Korean problem, there are more consequences to
be considered when handling North Korea.
Unlike Iraq, there are no hard evidence linking North Korea with
any of the Middle Eastern groups involved in terrorism.
The North Koreans have certainly sold their missiles and missile
technologies to some of the rouge states in the Middle East and
Africa, but they have not sold any weapons or WMD end products to
groups such as Hamas, Al Qaeda, or the Hissbola so I am not sure
where your information is coming from.
Unlike Iraq, North Korea has some Defense Treaty arrangement with
China and Russia; and although times have changed, it is unlikely
that China and Russia will come to the defense of North Korea if
bad behavior becomes too embarrassing to be defended.
Still, with North Korea, the USA has to consider the sensitivity
and fallout effect on a larger circle of countries both
politically and economically.
By attacking North Korea, the biggest casualty will be the South
Koreans and the Japanese population, as the unpredictable and
ruthless Kim Jong Il will resort to the use of Nuclear strikes.
Mass destruction of human lives and infrastructures will be the end
result in the entire Korean Peninsula, Japan, and parts of China
(if it gets drawn into combat with the USA).
The economies of East Asia, South-east Asia, and the entire Pacific
Region will be strategically and structurally affected.
The price of war in the Korean Peninsula will be much higher than
the war in Iraq.
Unfortunately, the underground labyrinths are not fairy tales, if
you recall several German Construction Companies coming up with the
Building Plans of Saddams Palaces, with vent shafts leading into
deep bunkers.
Concerning your inability to tolerate my supposed statement that
the Iraqis deserved to suffer in an unstable and volatile
situation, you may have not read carefully enough what I have
stated.
If you will review my earlier post, I had stated that the Iraqis
have as much responsibility to ensure that their own future will be
secure and prosperous by helping the US led Coalition Force to weed
out all of Saddam Husseins Power Base and Leadership, so that
these murderous rulers will not return to haunt the Iraqis.
Unfortunately, if Saddam was Winston Churchill, the entire Iraqi
nation would have risen up to resist the US led Coalition Force in
Iraq {so your comparison is wrong, and the fact that there is
only sporadic pin-prick attacks against the US Forces that resulted
in small number of death and casualties} - shows that the general
population are accepting the reality of the situation and
co-operating with the US led Coalition Force. It is the DIEHARD
Saddam Loyalist and foreign elements fighting the US led
forces.
It will be foolish for the average Iraqi Citizen not to make use of
the US led Coalition Force to ensure that Saddam and his Murderous
Crowd of Baathist Party Leaders are completely destroyed or brought
to trial by the Iraqi people.
Can the average Iraqi people overthrow Saddam Hussein and his well
armed Fedayeen without US help ?
If average Iraqi People love Saddam Hussein, why were they so
relieved at the arrival of the US led Coalition Forces into the
various major cities of Iraq ?
There were crowds rejoicing at the toppling of Saddam Husseins
statues, there were vulgar acts of insults to Saddam Husseins
photo images.
Do you seriously believe that Iraq has only ONE Percent of their
population being highly educated ?
Like most developed countries in the Middle East, their population
will have at least ten percent being educated up to tertiary
levels, and at least forty percent with high and middle school
education, and another forty percent having at least primary
education.
If you were to look into the websites of Iraqis who have fled from
the brutal treatment of Saddam Hussein, you may perhaps withdraw
your statements concerning the Iraqis enjoying life under Saddam
Hussein.
For your information, those who stayed behind have to put on a
false front to love Saddam Hussein and his Sons, or they will be
killed.
Can you accept the Singapore Football team losing the Tiger Cup,
and on coming back to Singapore, the entire team is beaten at the
base of their bare feet, and then dragged over broken glasses
?
This was how Saddam Husseins eldest son Uday Hussein treated
his Olympic Football Team, when they lost the football match that
will allow Iraq a place in the top ten group.
It was a reign of terror that kept the people acting according to
script prepared by Saddams famous Minister of Information.
Where were you when the Minister of Information was putting on a
brave face, to declare that the US led Coalition Force was miles
away from Baghdad, even when the M-1 Abrams Tanks were rolling into
the City ?
I am not sure if it is "smart to be stupid" all the time, at
least.
