future threat from Iraq

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
1

I think the main reason of removing Saddam Hussein and his regime is not what he has done and is doing.. but the very possible future risk.

At the current state of affairs, Iraq is no friend of US an Britain. It may not have been this anti US if the stifling embargo was not imposed for the past 11 years. It is the embargo rather than the war which has made Iraqi regime so anti US.

Not that the embargo did not have a purpose, but its usefullness ran out very quickly and it is being used as a policy tool, like the Cuba embargo, and does not serve any real purpose from “Security” viewpoint.

Due to the “accomplishements” of the al-qaeda gang, a new avenue was given to somewhat dim witted Mr Hussein to attack US, which he could not do previously due to its crap missile delivery systems.

i.e. using these terrorists as his delivery system.

Now Mr Hussein and Mr Ladin are no fans of each other.. but enemy of my enemy is my friend rhetoric would apply.

i.e., if the current regime is not removed from its power there would be a very distinct risk of this “unholy” alliance to send its bio and chemical weapons onwards to the West and allies.

Not a situation I would like.

The only question remains how we remove the men of power from Iraq.. for it is not just Saddam who needs to be removed but his all star cast of generals.

A sharp Navy seal/ SAS / hit man style attack may get rid of him, but the Hydra may sprout a new head which may be nastier that the first one and less known about him.

so the only option is to go enforce and get rid of the menace. Being a pacifist, I find it difficult to agree with war.. but even i can see that war is an option.

of course being a pacifist.. it gives me an responsibility to look at other options which would remove this possible future link up between saddam and al-qaeda.

full disarmament of iraq from chem/ bio agent being the foremost in my mind. i.e. giving the inspectors time to finish their job.

There of course is another problem..

you may remove the material (if there are any chem/bio agents left) but you cannot remove the knowledge to recreate them.

whats to say some of these scientists suddenly disappear in the underground and offer their services to anyone who wants to hire them.. and a war against their country and killing of thousands of civilians would be a major reason for these people to go underground and fight that way

that my friends is the real threat - and that neither Bush nor Blair can handle… for a threat you cannot pinpoint.. can inflict major damage.

So war on Saddam may be pursued .. but are we ready for the consequences?

2

When the Soviet empire fell thousands of scientists who worked on it’s WMD program found themselves without jobs, the U.S. set up a program that employs many of these scientists so they wouldn't sell off their knowledge to other countries/organizations. Not all former Soviet scientists are involved in this program and it’s likely that many have sold or have tried to sell their knowledge to others, but having the knowledge alone doesn’t create WMD. You need money, equipment, and a location where they can be built. Saddam provides all of this. A program will be set up to employee Iraqi scientists so they don't sell their information to other terror networks, other Iraqi scientist will likely try and sell their information to terror groups, and the U.S. and it’s allies will track them down and not allow them to act on this information, that’s part of the war on terror.