Put this in the Pit as I don’t think it deserves proper debate, maybe someone will change my mind…
So this article is in my local paper (byline on the print piece said “Baghdad”). The two paragraphs that have me annoyed:
The move comes as Iraq’s vice-president warned that Baghdad will unleash suicide bombers against American nationals throughout the Middle East.
Leaks allegedly from within the leadership claim Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is planning to use UN weapons inspectors as “human shields” in the event of an attack.
She gives no source I can see for the first statement, the second apparently comes from a London based Arab-language paper “Al-Sharq al-Awsat”.
So, WTF? Can anyone help this chick back up her story? This supposed call for a suicide bombing campaign has a familiar smell. Any London based Dopers hear of the Arab-language paper mentioned ?
“Al-Sharq al-Awsat” is indeed an Arabic-language newspaper.http://www.asharqalawsat.com/index.htm
See? It’s all in Arabic. That’s how you can tell.
Anyway, the story is here, too, so evidently she didn’t just make it up. However, I don’t see the “we will use UN inspectors as human shields” bit mentioned, so I’m guessing that the Al-Sharq al-Awsat was merely repeating gossip from Baghdad.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/01/sprj.irq.suicide.bomber/index.html
Iraq threatens U.S. with ‘suicide attackers’
BERLIN, Germany (CNN) – Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan told a German newsmagazine published Saturday that Iraq is prepared to deploy “thousands of suicide attackers” against the United States if Iraq is bombed.
That report came one day after President Bush said a new United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing war would be welcome, but not necessary if Iraq fails to prove it has disarmed itself of weapons of mass destruction. He also said the issue needs to be solved in “weeks, not months.”
In an interview published Saturday on the Web site of Der Spiegel, Ramadan was asked how long Iraq would be able “to fight the biggest military machine in the world.”
“As long as it takes,” he responded, "but why don’t you ask the other side how long they will be able to endure. We will be happy when they start their air bombardments against our ground troops. They will meet hard resistance everywhere.
“We don’t have long-distance missiles or many bombers, but we will deploy thousands of suicide attackers … the martyrs,” Ramadan said. "… Those are our new weapons and they will not only be deployed within Iraq.
“The Arab people will stand by the people of Iraq in the fight for its independence and freedom. This will be a fire in the whole region.”
The story is also here.http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,5926119%5E663,00.html
I did find one reference to Saddam using human shields, but it’s rather tangential and doesn’t involve specifically UN inspectors.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/01/22/sprj.irq.wrap/
Bush says it’s clear Iraq isn’t disarming
…To accompany Armitage’s speech, the White House released a 32-page report the administration says details Iraq’s “disinformation and propaganda” since 1990. It accuses Saddam of exploiting and persecuting his people and using them to “corrupt the public record.”
The report, “Apparatus of Lies,” says Saddam “crafts tragedy” by placing civilians close to military equipment and using them as human shields. Iraq also has deliberately damaged public buildings and facilities and blamed it on coalition forces, the report states.
Thanks DDG . I do see she left out the important “if Iraq is bombed” part out of her story(I actually suspected that would be the full quote).
