Iraqi WMD's in Syria?
Someone posted the following info (below asterisks) on another board.
Does anyone think this Syrian journalist's comments have any credibility?
Just wondering.
Carol
PS Since the letter is dated January 5, perhaps you already discussed it in that other WMD thread (I only read about half of that one). If so, let me know and the thread can be deleted...no problemo!
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A senior Syrian journalist reports Iraq?s WMD located in three Syrian sites.
Special report by DEBKAfile
Nizar Najoef, a Syrian journalist who recently defected from Syria to Western Europe and is known for bravely challenging the Syrian regime, said in a letter Monday, January 5, to Dutch newspaper ?De Telegraaf,? that he knows the three sites where Iraq?s WMD are kept. The storage places are:
1. Tunnels dug under the town of al-Baida near the city of Hama in northern Syria. These tunnels are an integral part of an underground factory, built by the North Koreans, for producing Syrian Scud missiles. Iraqi chemical weapons and long-range missiles are stored in these tunnels.
2. The village of Tal Snan, north of the town of Salamija, where there is a big Syrian airforce camp. Vital parts of Iraq?s WMD are stored there.
3. The city of Sjinsjar on the Syrian border with the Lebanon, south of the city Homs.
Najoef writes that the transfer of Iraqi WMD to Syria was organized by the commanders of Saddam Hussein?s Special Republican Guard, including General Shalish, with the help of Assif Shoakat , Bashar Assad?s cousin. Shoakat is the CEO of Bhaha, an import/export company owned by the Assad family.
In February 2003, a month before America?s invasion in Iraq, DEBKAfile and DEBKA-Net-Weekly were the only media to report the movement of Iraqi WMD, the efforts to bring them from Iraq to Syria, and the personal involvement of Bashar Assad and his family in the operation.
Najoef, who has won prizes for journalistic integrity, says he wrote his letter because he has terminal cancer.
Does anyone think this Syrian journalist's comments have any credibility?
Just wondering.
Carol
PS Since the letter is dated January 5, perhaps you already discussed it in that other WMD thread (I only read about half of that one). If so, let me know and the thread can be deleted...no problemo!
**************************************************
A senior Syrian journalist reports Iraq?s WMD located in three Syrian sites.
Special report by DEBKAfile
Nizar Najoef, a Syrian journalist who recently defected from Syria to Western Europe and is known for bravely challenging the Syrian regime, said in a letter Monday, January 5, to Dutch newspaper ?De Telegraaf,? that he knows the three sites where Iraq?s WMD are kept. The storage places are:
1. Tunnels dug under the town of al-Baida near the city of Hama in northern Syria. These tunnels are an integral part of an underground factory, built by the North Koreans, for producing Syrian Scud missiles. Iraqi chemical weapons and long-range missiles are stored in these tunnels.
2. The village of Tal Snan, north of the town of Salamija, where there is a big Syrian airforce camp. Vital parts of Iraq?s WMD are stored there.
3. The city of Sjinsjar on the Syrian border with the Lebanon, south of the city Homs.
Najoef writes that the transfer of Iraqi WMD to Syria was organized by the commanders of Saddam Hussein?s Special Republican Guard, including General Shalish, with the help of Assif Shoakat , Bashar Assad?s cousin. Shoakat is the CEO of Bhaha, an import/export company owned by the Assad family.
In February 2003, a month before America?s invasion in Iraq, DEBKAfile and DEBKA-Net-Weekly were the only media to report the movement of Iraqi WMD, the efforts to bring them from Iraq to Syria, and the personal involvement of Bashar Assad and his family in the operation.
Najoef, who has won prizes for journalistic integrity, says he wrote his letter because he has terminal cancer.
Comments
Originally posted by ShawnJ
Redundant Thread. And no, they're not in Syria. They're not in Iran. They're not in Iraq. They're nonexistent. What's it gonna take, people?
Hi Shawn -
Well, the other article was about David Kay.
This is a Syrian journalist speaking about locations in his own country.
I think that throws a 'bit' of a different light on the matter, don't you?
And saying only 'one' discussion can take place here on the subject is kinda like saying, "Okay, you had sex once. That oughta do it for the next six months."
After all, Shawn, you don't 'have' to read the thread.
I quit posting on the last WMD thread because one of the mods said he had hoped the thread would die. But then it came back to life again anyway; though at that point I didn't have time to re-read the whole thing, or the energy to jump back in and defend my comments.
My attacked and undefended posts have been nagging at me.
Everyone's probably sick of the topic and the thread will slide to the bottom anyway. So....nothing to fret about, is there?
Originally posted by segovius
Here's some more 'journalistic integrity'. You'll have to trust me that it's a reliable source:
Expect more and more articles like this to condition the public 'consciousness' over the next 6 months or so.
Hype will start in earnest in Dec/Jan and reach a crescendo for Mar 05 when war will kick off before April. No WMD will be found and within 12 -18 months reliable sources of 'journalistic integrity' will start to suggest they might be in Iran....
Hi Segovius -
I DO trust you that it's a reliable source. I trust you implicitly.
In fact, I would believe YOU (and your conclusions) over a thousand other people I could name. How's that for implicit faith?
So, do you think this Syrian journalist has been 'paid off', so to speak, to write such a letter?
Do you think he's lying? Just making it all up?
Do you really think the US will invade Syria, and then Iran?
Originally posted by billybobsky
I think I remember there being some discussion about the fact that there was no evidence to suggest that the weapons existed let alone were transfered to Syria. I would think the Journalist is hoping for that area to be bombed hence destroying Syria's weapon producing facilities.
Wouldn't it be a little dicey to bomb storage facilities containing chemical and/or biological materials?
I'm sure the Syrian journalist loves his country and his people. He wouldn't want lethal materials scattered into the winds and/or draining into underground water supplies, would he?
Originally posted by groverat
Debka is a horrible source.
Well, feel free to delete the thread if you want.
I promise you won't hurt my feelings. Really.
PS That's why I asked in my original post whether anyone thought the info was credible.
Originally posted by Carol A
Wouldn't it be a little dicey to bomb storage facilities containing chemical and/or biological materials?
I'm sure the Syrian journalist loves his country and his people. He wouldn't want lethal materials scattered into the winds and/or draining into underground water supplies, would he?
'
The key is that if any of it is true its most likely just a manufacturing location.
So what do we have here? A dissident that tells us that a middle eastern country ahev WoMDs, giving specific information about certaint locations and tells us we have to attack for our own security? Well I guess thats all need to know these days.
WHat did the world learn from the Iraq war? "Dont mess with us or else" or "If you fool us good enough (and your agenda looks like ours) we will pay and fight your war for you"?
Originally posted by Carol A
Hi Shawn -
Well, the other article was about David Kay.
This is a Syrian journalist speaking about locations in his own country.
I think that throws a 'bit' of a different light on the matter, don't you?
And saying only 'one' discussion can take place here on the subject is kinda like saying, "Okay, you had sex once. That oughta do it for the next six months."
After all, Shawn, you don't 'have' to read the thread.
I quit posting on the last WMD thread because one of the mods said he had hoped the thread would die. But then it came back to life again anyway; though at that point I didn't have time to re-read the whole thing, or the energy to jump back in and defend my comments.
My attacked and undefended posts have been nagging at me.
Everyone's probably sick of the topic and the thread will slide to the bottom anyway. So....nothing to fret about, is there?
I have journalistic integrity. You'll just have to trust me.
Originally posted by ShawnJ
I have journalistic integrity. You'll just have to trust me.
Okay.
Originally posted by Anders
I dont think this is redundant.
Yeah, you're right. The unsubstantiated rumors of an article that predates David Kay's unsubstantiated rumors sure sheds *new* light on the topic. In all seriousness, the DEBKA file article is in many ways a regression from David Kay's comments. This one claims that Saddam's actual arsenal of missles and such are hidden in Syria. Kay only claimed that "some components of Saddam's WMD program" went to Syria. So you're right. It's not redundant. It's actually a step backward from a previous thread and from the latest information.
Not that it matters. This stuff should be easy to disprove even on the surface.
Originally posted by Anders
I dont think this is redundant.
So what do we have here? A dissident that tells us that a middle eastern country ahev WoMDs, giving specific information about certaint locations and tells us we have to attack for our own security? Well I guess thats all need to know these days.
WHat did the world learn from the Iraq war? "Dont mess with us or else" or "If you fool us good enough (and your agenda looks like ours) we will pay and fight your war for you"?
Hi Anders -
Well, I didn't see the actual letter; so I have no idea if he advocated any kind of attack.
I don't think he would want his country attacked. If anything, I imagine he would wish that the regime would just capitulate from international pressure, admit the presence of Iraqi materials, and invite inspectors in to view and seize/destroy the stockpiles.
Perhaps that's wishful thinking?
Originally posted by groverat
Debka is a horrible source.
debka once claimed hussein and sons were in syria.
Originally posted by Anders
Then you are not as cynical as I am/I am not as naïve as you are. Pick your choice
Okay, Anders, I can live with that
...you are cynical
...I am naive
(of course, I prefer to see 'naive' as: 'pure of heart and optimistic about the future')
I like my part better.
The thing is, I thought Syria was making placating gestures months ago, just after the war 'ended'. I DO think, in my naivete, that they would rather get rid of the stockpiles - their own and Saddam's - and keep their country from being attacked. Is that naive?
When Alexander's army approached, many cities didn't fight, but laid down their arms and opened the gates in capitulation. Couldn't Syria wish to preserve their sovereignty by just negotiating in advance to get rid of their WMD's and quit supporting terrorism?
It just depends on how much they want to avoid even the 'prospect' of being another Iraq.
By the way, I'm NOT advocating/condoning/approving what the Bush administration may (or may not) be planning. I am just discussing various scenarios. Okay?
Frankly I'm amazed by the whole prospect...that after the mess of Iraq, they (the Bush admin.) might be thinking about doing the same thing over again in Syria/Iran. It boggles the mind, it really does.
I could never be president. I don't think a female should ever be president - not in the world 'we' live in. A sign should be hung on the Oval Office door - "Testosterone Required".
Originally posted by superkarate monkeydeathcar
debka once claimed hussein and sons were in syria.
They probably were for a while.
Their families were/are there, right?
The Syrian govt. probably eventually asked them (Saddam and his sons) to leave, for its own safety and for 'deniability'.
Originally posted by groverat
Debka is a horrible source.
No kidding. Even my Israeli friends shake their heads at some of Debka's stuff.
Originally posted by superkarate monkeydeathcar
debka once claimed hussein and sons were in syria.
Then they claimed they were in Belarus.
And published claims about a city under baghdad. Oh, and the underground remote control bunkers.