kiltboy

I'll probably miss it myself. http://www.drinkinggame.us/ David

***How many more would they have to find for you to consider it a threat? 50, 65, 75, 80, 100,??? Add this to the missles found that were capable of reaching Israel, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia etc.. Oh, sorry I forgot. They are just Arabs and Jews. They don't count as being International Security concerns. Those were tactical battlefield munitions not startegic weapons. I find your comment that it's not a worry because they are only jews and arabs quite disgusting. The main players in the region Syria, Iran and Israel also posess WMD. DO you remember the comcept of mutually assured destruction? It kept Nato and the Warsaw pact from starting WW3. David

The stuff was meant to be leftover from the Iran-Iraq war. Not so much of the "he continues to produce WMD and is building up his arsenal" that we were all told about. David

Of course such plans exist. I'm pretty sure it's a common exercise in command staff to draw these things up. The interesting point of the story for me was how to sell the plan and it looks like they settled on WMD. The authors were let down by the diplomatic effort to get international backing and the ppost war Iraq is the result. I did read that they have recently found 36 chemical rounds that were left over from the Iran-Iraq war. Not what I would describe as a threat to the UK or international security. David

I had heard they were part of a different survey group and that the Iraq Survey Group were still continuing their work. On a lighter note Prime Minister Blair has been taking heat with the upcoming Hutton report and I heard he was thinking of resigning if it claims that the PM lied to parliament (not sure if mislead would also do it). Paul Bremer recently dismissed the PM's statements "the ISG had uncovered massive WMD labs" as being contrary to what David Kay has reported. The Independent newspaper was also printing a rumour that David Kay was going to quit due to a lack of resources (diverted to find terrorists) and the lack of finding any WMD so far. David

Exempt countries are. Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (for citizens with the unrestricted right of permanent abode in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man)

I have a lot of respect for HRH Princess Anne but as this is a second attack there is cause for concern. As for Charles and Camilla well she's a catholic so according to the muppets that cry constitutional crisis Charles as heir to the throne couldn't marry her. Diana was too young and had no real common interests with the guy so that marriage was pretty much doomed from the get go. david

I'll disagree with the need to buy a WMD. The Tokyo Sarin attack and the recent Anthrax scares have demonstrated that you don't need to buy the stuff, you can make it. The methods were on the web prior to 9/11 and the details could be worked out. Quantities of radiological waste could probably be obtained from the balkans or by scraping up all the depleted uranium in the sand. THe psychological effect of a small device in the US would be huge and greater than the physical effects. David

More proof that Saddam should stand trial. David

There's also this one. http://www.football365shop.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=1055 Anyone looking for that special gift for someone overseas? David

Why would the sky be falling?

I actually agree with your personal insert. I disagree to an extent about costs of security etc. and I think the contaract should be up for rebidding in 6 month periods. i.e. the emergency is over so to speak and the place should be getting back to normal as major battle groups are not charging around. my 2 cents. David

Yes I'm aware of that as my brother was a blue beret in Kigali, Rwanda immediately after the genocide. I've also known a few that were in Bosnia prior to IFOR and I'm aware of the limitations. Not sure I agree with the first dibs aspect though several UK companies are applying for sub contract work as they're just not big enough for the full contracts. I believe that the UK position is that they'd rather give it to Iraqi companies first if possible as a way of employing them and kicking off the economy. I believe that anyone who donated to the donors conference of international money should get the same opportunity to bid. I understand the restrictions to the US money but maybe this is the problem. Shouldn't that be added to the international pile so that other donors get the chance to bid? Donate 100 million for the chance to bid for the contracts on a fair basis? David

I posted something of my thoughts on what could happen but one thing that I do think would also work is to split the country into three areas pretty much along the Kurdish/ central and southern (UK) zones. I'm thinking that the only thing keeping the country together was the will of SH. Seeing the way that Yugoslavia broke up after Tito (same strong dictator type government) and the seperation of the USSR after communism went south that it may be better to let it happen while the forces are there to stabilise it than have everyone leave and let it go tits up ten years later. Turkey wouldn't like the Kurdish region and I'm not sure how Syria or the rest of the Arab League would view the break up but I would think that having three states with a Federal government wouldn't be a bad idea. Encourage the identities of the regions so that they stabilise and worry about the integration later. I saw the struggle to make a diverse representative council and the Sunni' have no interest in letting it work if they have now become the minority. This way they could still have the illusion of controlling their own region but it allows the Shia and Kurds to move on and not be oppressed if they have regional control. David

I wasn't. I was replying to another post that compared them. David

I don't know that I fully agree with you. A few folks in different threads have made suggestions about what could be changed to improve the situation. It mostly seems to revolve around bringing the UN in to assist in running the country. Hopefully that would enable other nations to assist by providing investment for a fair shake at rebuilding work (just the chance to bid for an impartial work order not an actual contract) to guarantee that their money isn't being wasted and that a fair price is being paid. UN troops would be beneficial to guard and dispose of the munition dumps around the place and provide an impartial paramilitary force in the towns and cities that could allow the US troops and armour to leave those flashpoint areas and concentrate on searching other locations/borders and disposing of munitions. David

Hitler also killed Germans, Poles, Homosexuals, Gypsies, Untermenschen, Jehovahs witnesses, communists, criminals and "undesirables" etc. If anything the origins of Nazi Genocide started with mandatory sterilisation for the disabled and retarded in 33 (i think I'd have to reread the book to make sure) and euthenasia of the old. Then progressed to killing retarded infants and the "Final solution". About the most common theme between SH and Hitler is the moustache (similar types of ethnic cleansing/genocide happened in Rwanda and Bosnia). As I said previously I think linking SH and Hitler is the weakest argument I've heard for the military action that happened. David

How does Godwin's law/rule apply here? I never bought the Hitler '39 analogies for several reasons but the two main ones were. 1. Hitler militarised the Rhineland without opposition. SH tried to act in the no fly zones and was bombed 2. Hitler annexed Austria and was appeased. SH annexed Kuwait and was bombed. 3. Little international exposure when Hitler was building up his military. SH and Iraq were constantly monitored/spied upon had inspections etc. They are two very different cases and should be treated as such. The Hitler argument was and still is the weakest argument I've heard for the military action that took place. David

Syrian and Iranian troops wouldn't be welcome by the Iraqi authority as they are neighbouring countries. As you may recall this was why there was a problem with turkish troops. I strongly doubt Libya would send troops anyway. Why not have the UN take over the rebuilding/running of Iraq fom Bremner? They do have lots of experience rebuilding other countries and could provide valuable experience. David

Attended two seminars given by chemistry laureates. The first one didn't impress me but then he'd one the nobel and I don't think he cared too much about my opinion ( to be honest his name escapes me). Heard the ESI-MS guy (last years) at a conference. David

I can understand where you are coming from. Several of the countries at the donors conference agreed to donate to a trust fund that was independant of the US administration so they could distance themselves from the military action. They also wanted an independent or Iraqi organisation to distribute the funds. Interesting to note the number of UK companies taht received reconstruction work or to actually examine how much influence the UK has in what is going on outwith the UK zone of operations. David

I like the "Stop Spam now fgskeubk" spam myself. Am I the only one to think it's weird to spam people and ad for a spam blocker? Is this internet extortion? David

Congratulations. I just checked your profile. Did you get yours out of Umass? What was the field/topic? David

The scene when the chick went postal on her mate scred the crap out of me. One little bit of zombie blood and she went to town on the guy. Interesting to note that the first weapon I picked up in Silent Hill was the piece of 4x2 with rusty nail. David

I don't know they may have shot him. The UK government is writing a Defence White Paper that aims to reduce the British Army by 10 infantry battalions to pay for the Iraq war and buy new shiny toys. Slated to go include the Black Watch and the Irish Guards. Two battalions that took Basrah. How would you feel when you lost friends and put your neck on the line to return home and find that your regiment is to be disbanded? Also if the current plans do happen there will no longer be an Irish regiment in the British Army. If you saw the results of the N. Ireland elections you'd be worried as Iain Paisley's party is now the majority. Oh yeah the British troops would love to see Tony. Slap bang in the middle of their SUSAT. David