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11/06/2003 Archived Entry: "Holy Crap."
Holy Crap.
It seems as though Iraq tried to deal its way out of war, but the NeoCon Cabal was having none of it.
As American soldiers massed on the Iraqi border in March and diplomats argued about war, an influential adviser to the Pentagon received a secret message from a Lebanese-American businessman: Saddam Hussein wanted to make a deal.Iraqi officials, including the chief of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, had told the businessman that they wanted Washington to know that Iraq no longer had weapons of mass destruction, and they offered to allow American troops and experts to conduct a search. The businessman said in an interview that the Iraqis also offered to hand over a man accused of being involved in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 who was being held in Baghdad. At one point, he said, the Iraqis pledged to hold elections.
[...]
After being treated, Mr. Obeidi explained that the Iraqis wanted to cooperate with the Americans and could not understand why the Americans were focused on Iraq rather than on countries, like Iran, that have long supported terrorists, Mr. Hage said. The Iraqi seemed desperate, Mr. Hage said, "like someone who feared for his own safety, although he tried to hide it."
Mr. Obeidi told Mr. Hage that Iraq would make deals to avoid war, including helping in the Mideast peace process. "He said, if this is about oil, we will talk about U.S. oil concessions," Mr. Hage recalled. "If it is about the peace process, then we can talk. If this is about weapons of mass destruction, let the Americans send over their people. There are no weapons of mass destruction."
Mr. Obeidi said the "Americans could send 2,000 F.B.I. agents to look wherever they wanted," Mr. Hage recalled.
He said that when he told Mr. Obeidi that the United States seemed adamant that Saddam Hussein give up power, Mr. Obeidi bristled, saying that would be capitulation. But later, Mr. Hage recounted, Mr. Obeidi said Iraq could agree to hold elections within the next two years.
Some threat Iraq was. We could have avoided this whole war and all the American death. But we - or more spcifically, Richard Perle and George W. Bush - chose not to. We instead opted for miserable failure.
Replies: 3 people speak up
US media take on this: yawn, lead balloon.
Can't wait for CNN's 6-hour special, "Kobe Bryant's Favorite Breakfast Cereals."
Posted by Metropolitan99 @ 11/06/2003 09:43 AM NY
The best explanation I can think of is Bush outgrew putting firecrackers in frogs and wanted to watch Iraqis blow up...
Posted by TechnoPeasant @ 11/06/2003 01:53 PM NY
Those of us who are old enough remember Vietnam.
In hindsight even Macnamara said that Nam was wrong. For those in life who fail to learn a lesson or two. Then those will be the ones destined to act like fools. Watch out!
Posted by Aristopahanes @ 11/07/2003 09:59 AM NY
