Dead ends for UN inspectors--Tips are from the US intelligence

[Ripsnort]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/18/iraq/main537096.shtml

Seems the US Gov't might be trying to pull a fast one?

Discuss...

CBS) While diplomatic maneuvering continues
                        over Turkish bases and a new United Nations
                        resolution, inside Iraq, U.N. arms inspectors are
                        privately complaining about the quality of U.S.
                        intelligence and accusing the United States of
                        sending them on wild-goose chases.

                        CBS News Correspondent Mark Phillips
                        reports the U.N. has been taking a precise
                        inventory of Iraq's al-Samoud 2 missile arsenal,
                        determining how many there are and where
                        they are.

                        Discovering that the al-Samoud 2 has been
                        flying too far in tests has been one of the
                        inspectors' major successes. But the missile
                        has only been exceeding its 93-mile limit by
                        about 15 miles and that, the Iraqis say, is
                        because it isn't yet loaded down with its
                        guidance system. The al-Samoud 2 is not the
                        800-mile-plus range missile that Secretary of
                        State Colin Powell insists Iraq is developing.

                        In fact, the U.S. claim that Iraq is developing
                        missiles that could hit its neighbors – or U.S.
                        troops in the region, or even Israel – is just one
                        of the claims coming from Washington that
                        inspectors here are finding increasingly
                        unbelievable. The inspectors have become so
                        frustrated trying to chase down unspecific or
                        ambiguous U.S. leads that they've begun to
                        express that anger privately in no uncertain
                        terms.

                        U.N. sources have told CBS News that
                        American tips have lead to one dead end after
                        another.

                        Example: satellite photographs purporting to
                        show new research buildings at Iraqi nuclear
                        sites. When the U.N. went into the new buildings
                        they found "nothing."

                        Example: Saddam's presidential palaces, where
                        the inspectors went with specific coordinates
                        supplied by the U.S. on where to look for
                        incriminating evidence. Again, they found
                        "nothing."

                        Example: Interviews with scientists about the
                        aluminum tubes the U.S. says Iraq has imported
                        for enriching uranium, but which the Iraqis say
                        are for making rockets. Given the size and
                        specification of the tubes, the U.N. calls the
                        "Iraqi alibi air tight."

                        The inspectors do acknowledge, however, that
                        they would not be here at all if not for the threat
                        of U.S. military action.

                        So frustrated have the inspectors become that
                        one source has referred to the U.S. intelligence
                        they've been getting as "garbage after garbage
                        after garbage." In fact, Phillips says the source
                        used another cruder word. The inspectors find
                        themselves caught between the Iraqis, who are
                        masters at the weapons-hiding shell game, and
                        the United States, whose intelligence they've
                        found to be circumstantial, outdated or just plain
                        wrong.

                        Meanwhile, the U.S. and Britain are planning to
                        present a new resolution to the U.N. Security
                        Council on Monday in a bid for support to use
                        force to disarm Iraq.

                        Finishing touches were being put on the
                        resolution on Thursday. Adoption is by no
                        means assured. A majority of the 15 council
                        members are opposed to war at least until U.N.
                        weapons inspectors report in mid-March.

                        Secretary Powell said a headcount was
                        "academic" because the resolution demanding
                        Iraqi disarmament had not been put forward.

  Powell, who flies to Japan on Friday for the start of a five-day Asia trip, juggled
  resolution diplomacy with stressful negotiations with Turkey, a potential key ally in any
  war.

  Turkey is balking at U.S. terms for an economic aid package. Powell, who interceded
  on Wednesday with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, said he had told the Turkish leader
  "our position was firm with respect to the kind of assistance we could provide."

  However, Powell said, "there may be some other creative things we can do."

  As for the expected U.N. resolution, the Bush administration sees little value in
  extending inspections and much to worry about in Iraq's connection to al Qaeda and
  other terror groups.

  One U.S. official said the projected day for presenting the resolution was Monday but
  that it could slip a day or two.

  Powell said, "We won't put a resolution down unless we intend to fight for the
  resolution, unless we believe we can make the case that it is appropriate."

  In Baghdad, meanwhile, Iraq allowed another flight by an American U-2 surveillance
  plane Thursday as President Saddam Hussein's government sought to convince the
  world that it is cooperating with the weapons inspectors.

  In New York, a U.N. spokesman said Iraq also had submitted a list of people involved
  in the destruction of banned weapons — a key demand by chief weapons inspector
  Hans Blix.

  It was the second flight this week by a U-2 in support of the U.N. inspection program.
  The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said the plane spent six hours and 20 minutes over Iraq's
  territory, searching for evidence of banned weapons.

  In regard to the possible basing of U.S. troops in Turkey, Gul said in Ankara that a
  statement would be made on Friday. He did not elaborate.

  Powell did not elaborate on the refinements under consideration, but another U.S.
  official said one approach might be to seek a $1 billion congressional appropriation
  that would then permit Turkey to obtain loans at preferential U.S.-government rates for
  many times that amount.

  Ships carrying equipment for a U.S. infantry division are already at sea. The United
  States wants to base tens of thousands of soldiers in Turkey to open a possible
  northern front against Iraq.

  The dispute with Turkey is one of many problems the Bush administration has as it
  tries to line up support for an attack on Iraq if Saddam doesn't disarm quickly.

  Implying the United States might deploy troops elsewhere if terms could not be
  reached with Turkey, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said "we have to deal
  with realities, and we will."

  Meanwhile, President Bush sought to keep the pressure on the Security Council,
  telling a suburban Atlanta audience, "Denial and endless delay in the face of growing
  danger is not an option."

[Saurdaukar]

In all honesty, I skimmed the article, didnt read it - but am I correct in getting the jist that now the failure of UN weapon inspectors to find anything lies not with Saddam's cat and mouse games, but with the US sending inspectors on a "wild goose chase?"

Thats rich.

[slimm50]

Originally posted by Saurdaukar
In all honesty, I skimmed the article, didnt read it - but am I correct in getting the jist that now the failure of UN weapon inspectors to find anything lies not with Saddam's cat and mouse games, but with the US sending inspectors on a "wild goose chase?"

Thats rich.

My sentiments, exactly. There may have been some flawed intel from our boys in the field or th spy labs, but the burden of responsibility for this whole mess rests squarely on the shoulders of Hussein.

[funkedup]

Definitely CYA mode for the inspectors.