Comments on: SOMETHING BIG PLANNED FOR BAGHDAD

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

hmmmm- History tell me that Mansoor Ijaz is right more often then he is wrong. But somehow I'm skeptical of this report.

Let's hope he's wrong on this one.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

He's a pretty well-connected guy. But one hopes this is the type of thing where having the prognostication out there makes it less likely that the act happens. Presumably, our intel folks got the info, too--or at least watch Fox News--and can head this off.

By: The Commissar

The Commissar — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

I put Mansoor in the category as Debka. Not 'always wrong,' but I can't recall an instance where their scoops panned out.

By: Jim Henley

Jim Henley — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

In that part of the world, the only way you could get that done is if you launched a massive chemical or biological attack.

I dunno. If I had to kill a bunch of people at once, I'd rather have a fuel-air bomb, a small plane and a suicide pilot. Even a ground burst with a fuel-air bomb might be more effective.

There's no way a single chem/bio warhead - particularly one a bunch of guerrillas could put together - is going to kill 3,000+. 5,000 died at Halabja. Halabja was a natural fishbowl, subjected to all day bombardment by chemical shells and conventional artillery, and the roads out were also shelled, preventing escape. And 5,000 was a minority of the people there at the time, IIRC.

Things that make BIG explosions continue to beat hell out of things that hiss or undergo mitosis for "mass destruction."

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Jim: A good point. Indeed, chem-bio weapons scare the hell out of people but generally aren't the most destructive--let alone controllable--weapons out there.

By: Mike Spenis

Mike Spenis — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Here's a thought - do our soldiers in Iraq currently keep their personal chemical protective gear close at hand? My guess is that they have not been doing this lately.

If we start seeing photos of GIs with gas mask bags over their shoulders, then we'll know that somebody is taking this seriously...

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

MP: Our soldiers keep their chemical gear close at hand when they're running around the woods at Ft. Bragg. I guarantee you they are doing it now.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

and yet its possible-likely even-that more than a few have forgotten to lug it about at one time or another. and this is all it takes for anything to happen to the gear.

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