jamiroguy1 Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 Blix says Iraq war may have worsened terror threatBy Andrew SternFriday March 19, 10:25 AMCHICAGO (Reuters) - The invasion of Iraq has polarized the Middle East and may have worsened the threat of terrorism, former United Nations weapons inspector Hans Blix charged on Thursday. On a tour of the United States to promote his book, "Disarming Iraq," Blix criticized U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair for engaging in a "witch hunt" to justify the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq one year ago. In a speech sponsored by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, Blix listed the negatives he believes have resulted from the war: polarized societies in the Middle East, a rift in NATO, damage to the U.N. Security Council, and no easing in the threat of terrorism. "The terrorism threat has not abated," he said. Asked to expand on his comments in light of the March 11 train bombings in Spain that killed more than 200, Blix said "it's clearly an increase in the terrorism. "It was ... al Qaeda or some related terrorist movement trying to tell states that they should not participate in the actions in Iraq," he said. Blix said his task of seeking weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was undermined by the Bush and Blair governments, which probably knew they were exaggerating the threat to justify the invasion. "(The war) was more punitive than preemptive," he said. Apart from removing Saddam from power, Blix said he saw no benefit from the invasion and was skeptical of U.S. claims that Libya's subsequent decision to disarm was based on a fear that it could be next. What bothered him most, he said, was the manipulation of intelligence on Iraq and the lack of support for the weapons inspections process and the UN in general. "They are politicians, and we understand the need for hype. But still, as citizens, as voters, we want critical thinking, we want sincerity, not advertising hype," he said. Blix said the UN could play a key role in a fight against terrorism. "First of all, the struggle against terrorism must be a multilateral one, and I think the United States realizes that," he said. "This is not just an alliance of the willing, of big industrial states, but must have the rest of the world behind it."Link to articlehttp://in.news.yahoo.com/040319/137/2c32t.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmatas2277 Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 globally maybe for those backing us (i.e. Spain) but for the US...we havent changed are terror threat towards us...good poll though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiroguy1 Posted March 19 Author Report Share Posted March 19 At least for the immediate future I think it's worsened. If we can globalize our efforts in Iraq and truly begin helping the Iraqi people that can only help subside the threat...at least in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 truly begin helping the Iraqi people. What?From Wolfowitz's article today in the Post...http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/17287.htmToday, Iraq's era of systematic savagery is over. Thanks to the dedication and courage of American and Coalition military and civilians, the support of the U.S. Congress and the American people, life in Iraq is improving steadily: * Electricity reached pre-war levels last October, and is on track to reach 150 percent of pre-war levels, despite an infrastructure devastated by Saddam. * Oil production has reached 2.5 million barrels per day, well ahead of projections. * Funding for public health care is up 26 times the level under Saddam * All 22 universities, 43 technical institutes and colleges opened on time last fall. * Some 72 million new textbooks will go to primary and secondary schools by the end of this school year, so children will no longer learn arithmetic from books that say "2 Saddams plus 2 Saddams equals 4 Saddams." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 Oh and Hans Blix is a putz... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiroguy1 Posted March 19 Author Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by mr mahs What?From Wolfowitz's article today in the Post...http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/17287.htmToday, Iraq's era of systematic savagery is over. Thanks to the dedication and courage of American and Coalition military and civilians, the support of the U.S. Congress and the American people, life in Iraq is improving steadily: * Electricity reached pre-war levels last October, and is on track to reach 150 percent of pre-war levels, despite an infrastructure devastated by Saddam. * Oil production has reached 2.5 million barrels per day, well ahead of projections. * Funding for public health care is up 26 times the level under Saddam * All 22 universities, 43 technical institutes and colleges opened on time last fall. * Some 72 million new textbooks will go to primary and secondary schools by the end of this school year, so children will no longer learn arithmetic from books that say "2 Saddams plus 2 Saddams equals 4 Saddams." What about their phone service(besides mobile service)? Drinking water? Security?These types or issues aren't being handled in a timely manor. If you look at how the Iraqi's themselves have repaired their own infrastructure after 1991's bombing campaign on baghdad you'll see better results. They were able to get the phone service and drinking water back to pre-bombing levels in 3 months and this is without the help of billion dollar contracts to Bechtel/Halliburton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 What about their phone service(besides mobile service)? Drinking water? Security?These types or issues aren't being handled in a timely manor. If you look at how the Iraqi's themselves have repaired their own infrastructure after 1991's bombing campaign on baghdad you'll see better results. They were able to get the phone service and drinking water back to pre-bombing levels in 3 months and this is without the help of billion dollar contracts to Bechtel/Halliburton. And without the Sabatours (sp) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siceone Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 What about their phone service(besides mobile service)? Drinking water? Security?These types or issues aren't being handled in a timely manor. If you look at how the Iraqi's themselves have repaired their own infrastructure after 1991's bombing campaign on baghdad you'll see better results. They were able to get the phone service and drinking water back to pre-bombing levels in 3 months and this is without the help of billion dollar contracts to Bechtel/Halliburton. it takes more than a year to put in a well trained security force or a Telecommunications system so calm down chief. The reason it's taking so long is because the Iraqi people them selve are doing the workThey are the ones doing this with american guidance there is a HUGE learning curve. I mean do you have any idea what it takes to just put up on telephone pole ? or to run conduit under a street for power and telecom? haven't you been negative enough for one year already Give us some damn props over here..oh yeah and hans blix is a hater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babbo Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 iraq war has nothing to do with increased terror- saying that is a form of cowardice and appeasement. how about thew bombing if the pan am jet, the two bombing of the trade towers, the bombing of us war ships. should we just be killed- and sit back, and not defend?? thats a ridiculous poll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babbo Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by babbo iraq war has nothing to do with increased terror- saying that is a form of cowardice and appeasement. how about thew bombing if the pan am jet, the two bombing of the trade towers, the bombing of us war ships. should we just be killed- and sit back, and not defend?? thats a ridiculous poll. and when we struck back in ww2- it pissed the enemy off as well- they have declared war on us- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiroguy1 Posted March 19 Author Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by siceone it takes more than a year to put in a well trained security force or a Telecommunications system so calm down chief. The reason it's taking so long is because the Iraqi people them selve are doing the workThey are the ones doing this with american guidance there is a HUGE learning curve. I mean do you have any idea what it takes to just put up on telephone pole ? or to run conduit under a street for power and telecom? haven't you been negative enough for one year already Give us some damn props over here..oh yeah and hans blix is a hater It doesn't take more than a year, as I have explained in previous post, to repair telecommunications infrastructure. 3 months. That's how long it took Iraqi engeneers under UN sanctions in 1991 with no help from Bechtel or Halliburton, Chief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmatas2277 Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 It doesn't take more than a year, as I have explained in previous post, to repair telecommunications infrastructure. 3 months. That's how long it took Iraqi engeneers under UN sanctions in 1991 with no help from Bechtel or Halliburton, Chief. yea...but did they have Direct TV like they do now? i didnt think so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiroguy1 Posted March 19 Author Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by mrmatas2277 yea...but did they have Direct TV like they do now? i didnt think so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siceone Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by jamiroguy1 It doesn't take more than a year, as I have explained in previous post, to repair telecommunications infrastructure. 3 months. That's how long it took Iraqi engeneers under UN sanctions in 1991 with no help from Bechtel or Halliburton, Chief. We're not talking about repairing in iraq we're talking about rebuilding from the ground up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 Originally posted by siceone We're not talking about repairing in iraq we're talking about rebuilding from the ground up And again, now we have promblems like people sabotaging our efforts. In 91 if it wasn't fixed fast enough the whole town got threatened, HUGE diffrence.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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