We went to Iraq with the best of intentions, with too much of an emphasis on WMD, as there was certainly enough reasons to resume the war with Iraq (I can expand on that if you wish);

The intel was totally wrong, for whatever reasons. I do not and never will believe it was manufactured, or that it was a lie. It was just WRONG.

The intial mission has long since been accomplished, e.g., getting rid of Saddam and his evil regime.

What we’re doing in Iraq NOW is something different — and that IS central to the war on terror. How we got there is, believe it or not, regardless to the situation now. Our enemy is fighting hard to make Iraq its own. Because we went into Iraq, and stayed, it has now become THE battleground.

I have other sources but thought you would think them too partisan.

The US weapons inspector at the time, David Kay, had been telling the press that US troops would no doubt uncover this evidence, but in his 2004 testimony before Congress, he had to report finding practically nothing that indicated existing WMD, or even much of a program to build WMD.

My big question still is who is still making the WMD case now? I think those who were trumpeting WMD in Iraq are now focused on Iran. Life just ain’t worth living unless we have a boogeyman.

As for the AFP report–what’s AFP? I wonder if this Syrian journalist is standing by his claim 3 1/2 years later, or if others have substantiated them?

The applicable paragraph from this AP story is this:

The presence of atropine, and the discovery of gas masks and chemical suits earlier in the war, could indicate Iraq was preparing to use chemical weapons.

It made no difference.

We have bought into the Military Industrial Complex (MIC). If you would like to read how this happens please see:

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/03/spyagency200703

Through a combination of public apathy and threats by the MIC we have let the SYSTEM get too large. It is now a SYSTEMIC problem and the SYSTEM is out of control. Government and industry are merging and that is very dangerous.

There is no conspiracy. The SYSTEM has gotten so big that those who make it up and run it day to day in industry and government simply are perpetuating their existance.

The politicians rely on them for details and recommendations because they cannot possibly grasp the nuances of the environment and the BIG SYSTEM.

So, the system has to go bust and then be re-scaled, fixed and re-designed to run efficiently and prudently, just like any other big machine that runs poorly or becomes obsolete or dangerous.

This situation will right itself through trauma. I see a government ENRON on the horizon, with an associated house cleaning.

The next president will come and go along with his appointees and politicos. The event to watch is the collapse of the MIC.

For more details see:

http://rosecoveredglasses.blogspot.com/2006/11/inside-pentagon-procurement-from.html

Just here for a quick break, but I asked why you thought the Iraqi soldiers had chemical suits when we first went into Iraq and you didn’t give me your theory on that.

I’m asking again, directly, why do you think they had chemical suits at the ready if there were no threat of WMD?