SwiftVets.com

[Rdtf]

see below the original publication on defenselink.mil to include Rumsfeld's comments. This is a legitimate military website. We never heard about it til word got around.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2003/n08062003_200308063.html


American Forces Pull Hidden MiG fighters out of Iraqi Desert
By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2003 -- American forces have found Russian fighter jets buried in the Iraqi desert, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in an Aug. 5 press briefing.

"We'd heard a great many things had been buried, but we had not known where they were, and we'd been operating in that immediate vicinity for weeks and weeks and weeks … 12, 13 weeks, and didn't know they were (there)," Rumsfeld said.

The secretary said he wasn't sure how many such aircraft had been found, but noted, "It wasn't one or two."

He said it's a "classic example" of the challenges the Iraqi Survey Group is facing in finding weapons of mass destruction in the country.

"Something as big as an airplane that's within … a stone's throw of where you're functioning, and you don't know it's there because you don't run around digging into everything on a discovery process," Rumsfeld explained. "So until you find somebody who tells you where to look, or until nature clears some sand away and exposes something over time, we're simply not going to know.

"But, as we all know," he added, "the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."


A U.S. military search team uncovers a Cold War-era MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor buried beneath the sands in Iraq. Several MiG-25 and Su-25 ground attack jets have been found buried at al-Taqqadum airfield west of Baghdad. Photo by Master Sgt. T. Collins, USAF
High resolution photo.
A U.S. military search team prepares to move a Cold War-era MiG- 25 Foxbat interceptor that was found buried beneath the sands in Iraq. Several MiG-25 and Su-25 ground attack jets have been found buried at al-Taqqadum air field west of Baghdad. Photo by Master Sgt. T. Collins, USAF
High resolution photo.

[CTW]

Thinking this is the wrong war at the wrong time suggests one believes:

1. Terrorists were/are in every country with the exception of Iraq.
2. Sadam was content to be left alone.
3. Sadam had no interest in attacks on America because he was just focused on ruling his people.
4. Sadam was sane and in tune with the world and would not lie..
5. Sadam would never think to hide chemical agents for weapons, military planes, etc in the desert sands, or schools, or mosques, or hospitals.
6. Sadam would not order nuke development by scientists except for energy.
7. Sadam would stay out of the terrorist movement for a long time, at least until our children and grandchildren grow up.
8. The entire Middle East could be contained at least until our children and grandchildren grow up.
9. Terrorists would not be welcomed in Iraq or receive funding from Sadam.
10. Sadam would never think to send chemical agents and weapons across the Syrian border, it was too far.
11. America creates terrorists not poverty, lack of objective education, lack of respect for individual freedom, no hope for the future, brainwashing.

Hit these ideas out of the park everybody!

The war in Iraq: look at a map!!!

CTW

Never Ever Kerry

[FreeFall]

Saddam was the godfather of all terrorists. He trained them there at Salman Pak, a terrorist training camp not far from Baghdad. Also, he harbored and sponsored (paid) terrorist who killed Americans who were found in Iraq during the war. Abu Abbas, master mind of the Achille Laro, was found there. He was a Palestinian who got away after the incident because he held an Iraqi Diplomatic passport! So how did he get one of those?

Also one of the WTC bombers was found living there, also on Iraqi payroll. So why would Saddam put a WTC bomber on his payroll and give the bomber subsidized housing? Anybody want to guess?

[FreeFall]

Saddam was the godfather of all terrorists. He trained them there at Salman Pak, a terrorist training camp not far from Baghdad. Also, he harbored and sponsored (paid) terrorist who killed Americans who were found in Iraq during the war. Abu Abbas, master mind of the Achille Laro, was found there. He was a Palestinian who got away after the incident because he held an Iraqi Diplomatic passport! So how did he get one of those?

Also one of the WTC bombers was found living there, also on Iraqi payroll. So why would Saddam put a WTC bomber on his payroll and give the bomber subsidized housing? Anybody want to guess?

[Rdtf]

Another article that went unnoticed in MSM

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_1.html

[CTW]

[Paul R.]

Not to nitpick, but I think they got their dates a little scrambled!
From that article:

[Rdtf]

[Paul R.]

It's probably just a "writo". We were in that area as of the end of March, 2003, correct?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-03-24-iraq-battle_x.htm

Interesting to note that at that point, virtually everybody was fearful of Saddam counterattacking with CBW...
_________________
Paul R.

[noc]

Notice how the Kerry camp and their talking points are trying to nuance the whole issue. Saddam and Bin Laden did not coordinate 9/11 together and therefore no connection. Just because that was not directly proven, does not make it a fact. They want to act as if Bin Laden is the one and only terrorist threat to us. Riiiigghhttt, and Saddam's terrorist camps were really just making baby formula. The plane in the camp was for a kids playground. The biotoxins and chemicals are essential ingredients for baby formula, right?

Saddam had several ties to terrorism as can be seen in many posts in this thread. Many of the organizations and individuals had ties to Al Qaeda. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand the connection of Saddam's Iraq to the overall war on terror. I just hope this message in reinforced.

[Rdtf]

Maybe they meant to say March - but the article does say 'during' the war... makes you wonder, though, if they were seen on satellite then why we couldn't get to them first....

I just can't believe that this wasn't discussed in the media -the 'findings' briefing that occured June 9, 2004.

[Paul R.]

The media would RaTHer not discuss it...

I looked at the UN report (it's in pdf form - linked in the article.)

The satellite images show buildings, etc., intact as of "28 May 2003" and destroyed sometime later. My guess is that we destroyed 'em. The report is evidently saying these buildings were used for suspect activity prior to the war, but that it is now difficult to reconstruct exactly what was there immediately prior to the war. However, the inspectors sure do turn up a lot of smoke on WMD and solid evidence on banned missiles...

The article itself is incorrect in stating that these particular satellite photos demonstrate how quickly Saddam could "remove the evidence". Or hide it. But, we know from many other sources (like the pics of the MIG's) just how good the Iraqi's were at deception.

I really do believe Saddam's strategy was to antagonize us into coming in, ride it out in hiding, eventually those soft (Kerry-ish) Americans would be driven out, then he would Phoenix-like resurrect in glory to unite all the Arabs to destroy Israel without U.S. interference. The key here is Saddam's desperation to get rid of U.S. interference, his misreading of the U.S. (I hope!) and men named "Bush", and, Saddam's just plain craziness.

This is not to say Bush was wrong to go into Iraq. Sometimes a piece of a strategy can involve doing something your enemy expects or hopes you do. But, that's a whole 'nother discussion.
_________________
Paul R.

[ATACKM]

I agree with Swingvoter, The timing was all wrong ! We should have dealt with Iraq years before 9/11 . How soon we forget Operation Desert Storm and Shield. The terms of ending the first Gulf War were clear. Weapons Inspections, Trade sanctions, and immediately we had Saddam mocking our policies. He limited the inspectors, Hell he kicked them out at one point. He would push us to the very end, over and over and over. Killing Kurds in the north, shooting at the American and Coalition flyers that had to fly the no-fly zones created to stop Saddam from killing his own people. Over and Over he taunted us! France ignored the sanctions we imposed on Iraq, as did Germany and Russia.

Saddam's legacy is unrivaled, He has killed more people for sport then Ted Nuggent has killed deer.
He is responsible for the worst oil spill ever documented ! "No it was not The Exxon Valdez. It was the intentional dumping of Kewaiti oil into the Gulf". An act of selfish spite from a man who needed to be stopped. The burning oil wells in Iraq created an ecological disaster that our great grandchildren will even feel. The fires in Iraq would still be burning today if not for the civilian heroes of 'Boots and Koots" "Great job guys"!

Yeah ! the timing was bad ! It was years late. IMHO !
_________________
ATACKM
Gulf War Veteran
Proud American
http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org

[Rdtf]

Yea well, Clinton for 8 years and all that

[Paul R.]

Probably had to have something like 911 happen for the "popular will" to go into Iraq to form.
_________________
Paul R.