03-22-2003, 01:44 PM
Hi,
Not much to add to what I've said.
You again repeat that, "your belief that Saddam was definitely trying to put together an arsenal of WMD, whereas I think that he was more or less content with where Iraq and he himself were standing." But I don't see how you can hold that opinion in light of the history. Saddam could have disarmed and given evidence of that any time in the twelve years after '91 and had the economic sanctioned lifted. That would have been to his good, but he didn't. He could have given evidence that he was complying with the UN requests any time after 1441 and thus headed of further pressure, but he didn't. When the inspectors went back into the country, Saddam could have had them taken to where the evidence was that showed he was complying with the disarmament requirements. He didn't.
His choices all along are not those of a person who is complying with a disarmament agreement. And yet, those choices are causing the sanctions to continue, the tension to escalate, and finally a war to begin. Do you really think that he had nothing to hide and just went the way he did out of stupidity or arrogance? I don't.
The only hypothesis that accounts for the behavior of Saddam since '91 is that he was trying to rearm, and trying to do so with weapons that were banned by the agreement he entered into in '91. The only alternative is that he is insane, and there is no other evidence for that.
--Pete
Not much to add to what I've said.
You again repeat that, "your belief that Saddam was definitely trying to put together an arsenal of WMD, whereas I think that he was more or less content with where Iraq and he himself were standing." But I don't see how you can hold that opinion in light of the history. Saddam could have disarmed and given evidence of that any time in the twelve years after '91 and had the economic sanctioned lifted. That would have been to his good, but he didn't. He could have given evidence that he was complying with the UN requests any time after 1441 and thus headed of further pressure, but he didn't. When the inspectors went back into the country, Saddam could have had them taken to where the evidence was that showed he was complying with the disarmament requirements. He didn't.
His choices all along are not those of a person who is complying with a disarmament agreement. And yet, those choices are causing the sanctions to continue, the tension to escalate, and finally a war to begin. Do you really think that he had nothing to hide and just went the way he did out of stupidity or arrogance? I don't.
The only hypothesis that accounts for the behavior of Saddam since '91 is that he was trying to rearm, and trying to do so with weapons that were banned by the agreement he entered into in '91. The only alternative is that he is insane, and there is no other evidence for that.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?