Brad Wardell's views about technology, politics, religion, world affairs, and all sorts of politically incorrect topics.
This is why you don't jump to conclusions
Published on October 30, 2004 By Draginol In Current Events

The left-wing media and Kerry supporters made a mountain out of a mole-hill by trying to claim, without evidence, that around 200 to 300 tons of explosives were looted under the noses of the US military thus proving Bush's incompotence (that's their reasoning, not mine, I agree, it's pretty wacked logic).

However, a new report seems to indicate what I had previously suggested - that a US detachment probably hauled off the weaponry at some point. Why? Because 200 to 300 tons would require far too many trucks to just spirit away under the noses of US troops. Even if unguarded, it's unlikely that the insurgency, 18 months later, has enough trucks in one place to move that quantity of munitions and explosives.

But what it does show is that a: John Kerry is reckless and disrespectful. Anyone who would jump to the conclusion that the military (and Bush) was "incompotent" based on a single barely researched New York Times article, especially in the post memogate campaign, is not someone who can be trusted. It's the kind of political opportunism that has many Kerry detractors, such as myself, so much against him.

Will Kerry apologize? Will Kerry supporters apologize? I doubt it.  I don't consider this report or any other we've seen as "conclusive". But that's the whole point - the charges Kerry and his supporters and the left wing media have made were made on the most flimsy of evidence (200+ tons of explosives missing = looters). Making such a charge under normal circumstances would be rash. But making them a week before the election is borderline criminal.


Comments
on Oct 30, 2004
I think the whole Iraq war is why you don't jump to conclusions. Or maybe it's more along the lines of what happens when you re-arrange the facts to suit your own agenda.
on Oct 30, 2004

Drag,

Jump?  Nope. Kerry?  Yep.  That is why they have tinactin for tongues!

on Oct 30, 2004
The issue of missing explosives is far bigger than this one site. Terrorists have been using explosives from all over Iraq from unsecured sites to kill Americans and destory the country. American taxpayers have paid to rebuild pipelined, buildings etc and terrorists dip into these unsecured Amo dumps and blow them to bits. All this because we have not established security in Iraq due to a lack of troops.
on Oct 30, 2004

The issue of missing explosives is far bigger than this one site. Terrorists have been using explosives from all over Iraq from unsecured sites to kill Americans and destory the country. American taxpayers have paid to rebuild pipelined, buildings etc and terrorists dip into these unsecured Amo dumps and blow them to bits. All this because we have not established security in Iraq due to a lack of troops.

And you have seen how many black helicopters?

When you have some real facts, check back.  Until then, check for those whirly birds!  They may be after you!

on Oct 30, 2004

COL Gene: Do you have any proof to back up your assertion? Terrorists and insurgents operate all over the world and amazingly they all seem to have weapons. 

By your line of reasoning, the Palestinians must be making use of various ammo dumps for their activities.

on Oct 30, 2004
That's not criminal . . . it's politics!
on Oct 30, 2004
The missing explosives mystery resolved? This is why you should be ashamed and embarrassed


I have a heaviness in my heart the likes of which I cannot possibly express in words.

Unless of course I were to use words of such precision and accuracy as your own.
I was touched to hear that

new report seems to indicate what I had previously suggested - that a US detachment probably hauled off the weaponry at some point.

Either there are military records showing the explicit order to transfer weaponry from one place to
another at specified intervals or at a specified time or there is GROSS NEGLIGENCE involved.

200 to 300 tons of explosives have been mismanaged, regardless of whether the "left-wing media
and Kerry supporters" are trying to

"[make] a mountain out of a molehill"
by stating
the FACT that (regardless of whether we probably had some detachment take some weaponry at
some point
, like you mentioned) 200 to 300 tons of explosives could not (and still cannot) be
accounted for and have not been properly guarded.

That is not conjecture or sensationalism. We don't have the explosives, the records of orders to
transfer them and no one knows for sure if WE brought in a caravan of trucks to haul off that
many weapons?

I don't think that any educated individual would think that the insurgency has enough trucks in one
place to move that quantity of explosives like you mentioned, but don't you think that someone at
sometime would have noted that the US was moving the weaponry? Don't you wonder why neither
the President of the United States nor any of his staff is able to explicitly state what happened and why?

I have no doubt that we will find the missing weaponry and I am sure that it won't be pretty when we do.

The insurgency, unlike George W. Bush, would not dare to be so brazen as to bring a caravan of
trucks to gather explosives in one night over the last 18 months. Chances are they have been creating
divergences to keep our focus away from the small militia groups that work together (probably ever
day for the last 18 months) to get whatever they can from the stockpile? Isn't it likely that the people
who knew about the stockpile and knew that it wasn't guarded would devise a subtle way to get as
much out before they were discovered and that they would do so over an extended period of time?

You make the claim that


Making such a charge under normal circumstances would be rash.

It is not rash, it is long past due. Bush should be held accountable and if I didn't think that he had
already bought this election like he did the last election and if I wasn't afraid that Homeland Security
would be knocking on my door tomorrow wanting to ask me questions about having said anything
negative about George W. Bush in a public forum, I would call for his impeachment and demand that
he be held accountable for

  • the lives of all of our soldiers
  • the lives of so many innocent Iraqi's
  • his Tri-Fecta destruction of our economy
  • the lives of those who died on 9.11 while he read Billy Goats Gruff to Florida kindergartners.

I would like to see Americans pull the heads out of there hiding places and make demands of our president like these.
Of course, I am reminded and humbled by something you said in your post:

:
making [comments like these] a week before the election is borderline criminal.

And I must say that it is far from criminal, it is quintessentially American.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Article I . U.S. Constitution

You should be ashamed and embarrassed. I have no hopes of changing your mind on George W. Bush, but I do
honestly pray for you that you can see how bad things are because of George W. Bush.

on Oct 30, 2004
I think I've seen it elsewhere, but I will nevertheless point out here that 200 to 300 tons of explosives sounds like a great big load of crap that makes a HUGE difference in one side's ability to wage war and by obvious implication it should have been carefully managed.
However, over 400,000 tons of munitions have been found and processed. That's Four Hundred Thousand Tons. So while in our own little frame of reference, 200 or 300 tons may sound like a lot, in the larger scheme of the overall Iraqi disarmament, it is less than 0.1 percent of the material that has been successfully dealt with.

(bush should be held accountable for) the lives of those who died on 9.11 while he read Billy Goats Gruff to Florida kindergartners.


Okay, I'm sorry, but I have to say that is just stupid. How exactly does his "delayed departure" equate to additional loss of life that he could have prevented??
on Oct 31, 2004
I would call for his impeachment and demand that he be held accountable forthe lives of all of our soldiers the lives of so many innocent Iraqi's his Tri-Fecta destruction of our economy the lives of those who died on 9.11 while he read Billy Goats Gruff to Florida kindergartners.




If Kerry is elected....can I get an impeachment of Kerry for the traitorous activities he did during Vietnam? You know....the things he should be held accountable for, like:



- lying to Congress in his testimoney about the American soldiers being War Criminals

- aiding an enemy of the United States during war

- unauthorized peace talks with the enemy during war



Well, can I?
on Oct 31, 2004
citahellion,
your statement on the 0.1% would be totally true if yuo ignored one crucial point. These were not just normal munitions. These were classified as WMD components! So as explosives they don't make much difference, but as potential components in a nuclear bomb they are crucial. A nuclear device requires these components! That is why they are so important.

Paul.
on Oct 31, 2004
Another great post by the dragon. Just put another chit in the log to count for yet another mini-smear campaign. Im going to be so glad when this is all over. This year more than any has exposed the absolute ignorance and gullibility of the american people (I would love to equate this to just Kerry supporters, but alas cannot). Anything reported by the media in any way, shape or form, which is negative in nature should be scrutinized and examined to great lengths before any decision is made on its validity. Especailly when it concerns matters which are obviously pollitically motivated.

'There's a sucker born everyday.'
on Oct 31, 2004
Solitair,

does that mean that liberals (including you, if applicable; sorry, I've lost track of a lot of peoples' affiliations) will admit that WMDs have finally been found in Iraq?
However, I believe that (a) the explosives are "dual-use" items, usable either as explosives or as nuclear triggers, and ( other forms of explosive could also be used to trigger nuclear devices. These are better for that purpose than most explosives, but are not "required".
on Oct 31, 2004
my question also.....

Were we NOW justified in invading? as to your argument about them being used in nuclear weapons......it seems we were. Go on an spin away
on Oct 31, 2004
Thos explosives themselves are not classified as a "WMD". They can however be used in the creation of one. They also can be used for basic demolitions, blasting for mining, construction etc. Also detcord is great for clearing dense treelines, make a nice lil zig-zag in and around some trees and BOOM, instant kindling.
on Nov 01, 2004
What you failed to disclose is that a Minneapolis TV Station, KSTP, visited the site after the US had "removed and destroyed" the 200-300 tons of explosives. KSTP has GPS coordinates, video, and photos of UN Security tags on explosives still in bunkers after the US troops claimed to have removed the explosivs. Details can be found here: http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S3777.html?cat=1

So, is the "left" still m,aking a stink over nothing? Does it really matter? The point is, no one can account for all theexplosives at at the site. No accurate records and misinfomration in the time of an election. The military is covering its own a$$ in an effort to save face in a difficult situation. I don't blame them. There may have been more there than they were aware. I don't blame the president. He does not control the minute details on the battlefield.

I just wish people would realize this has little to do with the election and more to do with taking responsibility. The president is not responsible for this event. The UN should have communicated the location and quantities of all materials of concern in Iraq. The US forces should have acted in conjunctionwith UN IAEA resources to ensure all the weapons were secured. by going alone, we over looked more than we may ever know about.

Just my $.02

DZ