Originally posted by debbiejo
WAR is for REAL ! (by Major General Vernon Chong, USAF, ret.)(This is definitely worthy of your immediate attention. Read every word, and pass it on to everyone you know. We all need to know the truth about this war against "terrorism" and "lies". Please stand up for truth and do what is right. This has been a "free" country, and this is God's world. ) This is for everyone to read regardless of your political affiliation.
As the facts stand there were lies, if one deems [fabrication of a case for war via] manipulation of intelligence and [deliberate] misleading of a general populace, as lies.
Originally posted by debbiejo
This WAR is for REAL !To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WWII).
The deadly seriousness is greatly compounded by the fact that there are very few of us who think we can possibly lose this war and even fewer who realize what losing really means.
I'm unclear as to who or what exactly is being referred to by "war", whether he means the most recent Iraq War or the "War on Terror", and "threat", whether he means "terrorism" or Islam as a whole, the tone implying the latter.
Originally posted by debbiejo
First, let's examine a few basics:1. When did the threat to us start?
Many will say September 11, 2001. The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us:
* Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979;
* Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983;
* Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983;
* Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988;
* First New York World Trade Center attack 1993;
* Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996;
* Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998;
* Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998;
* Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000;
* New York World Trade Center 2001;
* Pentagon 2001.
(Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide).
'79? One should probably look even further back into history, but 1953 is as good a place to start as any - U.K. and U.S. intelligence agencies instigated the removal of the Iranian PM Mohammad Mosaddeq, restoring the Shah to power.
The Iranian [oil] industry was opened to a consortium of French, Dutch, British and American oil companies.
The Shah autocracy, supported by the U.S. and U.K. governments, was in rule until the Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979, in which Ayatolla Khomeini took power.
In 1980 Iraq invades Iran, marking the beginning of the Iraq-Iran War. The possibility of a U.S. "green light" for the Iraq invasion of Iran has been posed due to the notes of Alexander Haig, on comments by then-Prince late King Fahd of the House of Saud, and then-President Anwar Sadat or Egypt.
After the 1967 Arab-Israeli War Iraq-US diplomatic relations were severed and in 1979 Iraq was placed on the State Department's "terrorist countries" list. However in 1982 Iraq was removed from the list by Reagan, against objections by Congress and despite intelligence reports that Iraq had been acquiring chemical weapon capability since the mid-70's and was still known to be sponsoring groups on the State Department "terrorist list". This enables the sale of military-use technology to Iraq.
"December 1982. Hughes Aircraft ships 60 Defender helicopters to Iraq.
1982-1988. Defense Intelligence Agency provides detailed information for Iraq on Iranian deployments, tactical planning for battles, plans for air strikes and bomb damage assessments.
November 1983. A National Security Directive states that the U.S. would do "whatever was necessary and legal" to prevent Iraq from losing its war with Iran.
November 1983. Banca Nazionale del Lavoro of Italy and its Branch in Atlanta begin to funnel $5 billion in unreported loans to Iraq. Iraq, with the blessing and official approval of the US government, purchased computer controlled machine tools, computers, scientific instruments, special alloy steel and aluminum, chemicals, and other industrial goods for Iraq's missile, chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs.
October 1983. The Reagan Administration begins secretly allowing Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Egypt to transfer United States weapons, including Howitzers, Huey helicopters, and bombs to Iraq. These shipments violated the Arms Export Control Act.
November 1983. George Schultz, the Secretary of State, is given intelligence reports showing that Iraqi troops are daily using chemical weapons against the Iranians.
December 20, 1983. Donald Rumsfeld , then a civilian and now Defense Secretary, meets with Saddam Hussein to assure him of US friendship and materials support.
January 14, 1984. State Department memo acknowledges United States shipment of "dual-use" export hardware and technology. Dual use items are civilian items such as heavy trucks, armored ambulances and communications gear as well as industrial technology that can have a military application.
March 1986. The United States with Great Britain block all Security Council resolutions condemning Iraq's use of chemical weapons, and on March 21 the US becomes the only country refusing to sign a Security Council statement recognizing Iraq's use of these weapons.
May 1986. The US Department of Commerce licenses 70 biological exports ot Iraq between May of 1985 and 1989, including at least 21 batches of lethal strains of anthrax.
May 1986. US Department of Commerce approves shipment of weapons grade botulin poison to Iraq.
March 1987. President Reagan bows to the findings of the Tower Commission admitting the sale of arms to Iran in exchange for hostages. Oliver North uses the profits from the sale to fund an illegal war in Nicaragua.
May 17, 1987. Iraqi attack on USS Stark costs 37 American lives. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger declares, "We will not be driven from the gulf," and accepts Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's apology for the "unintentional incident."
Late 1987. The Iraqi Air Force begins using chemical agents against Kurdish resistance forces in northern Iraq.
February 1988. Saddam Hussein begins the "Anfal" campaign against the Kurds of northern Iraq. The Iraq regime used chemical weapons against the Kurds killing over 100,000 civilians and destroying over 1,200 Kurdish villages.
April 1988. US Department of Commerce approves shipment of chemicals used in manufacture of mustard gas.
August 1988. Four major battles were fought from April to August 1988, in which the Iraqis massively and effectively used chemical weapons to defeat the Iranians. Nerve gas and blister agents such as mustard gas are used. By this time the US Defense Intelligence Agency is heavily involved with Saddam Hussein in battle plan assistance, intelligence gathering and post battle debriefing. In the last major battle with of the war, 65,000 Iranians are killed, many with poison gas. (For confirmation of DIA involvement, check the New York Times, August 18, 2002). Use of chemical weapons in war is in violation of the Geneva accords of 1925.
August 1988. Iraq and Iran declare a cease fire.
August 1988. Five days after the cease fire Saddam Hussein sends his planes and Hughes helicopters to northern Iraq to begin massive chemical attacks against the Kurds.
September 1988. US Senate Foreign Relations Committee summarizes their knowledge of the victims of the chemical attacks: "Those who were very close to the bombs died instantly. Those who did not die instantly found it difficult to breathe and began to vomit. The gas stung the eyes, skin, and lungs of the villagers exposed to it. Many suffered temporary blindness. Those who could not run from the growing smell, mostly the very old and the very young, died."
September 8, 1988 U.S. Senate unanimously passes the "Prevention of Genocide Act of 1988" the day after it is introduced. The act would have cut off from Iraq U.S. loans, military and non-military assistance, credits, credit guarantees, items subject to export controls, and U.S. imports of Iraqi oil. Immediately after the bill’s passage the Reagan Administration announces its opposition to the bill, and State Department spokesman Charles Redman calls the bill "premature.” Richard Murphy, Assistant Secretary of State says, "The US-Iraqi relationship is... important to our long-term political and economic objectives." The Administration works with House opponents to a House companion bill, and after numerous legislation compromises and end-of-session haggling, the Senate bill dies.
September 1988. US Department of Commerce approves shipment of weapons grade anthrax to Iraq.
September 1988. US Department of Commerce approves shipment of weapons grade botulinum toxin to Iraq.
September 1988. December 1988. Dow chemical sells $1.5 million in pesticides to Iraq despite knowledge that these would be used in chemical weapons.
July 25, 1990. US Ambassador to Baghdad meets with Hussein to assure him that President Bush "wanted better and deeper relations". Many believe this visit was a trap set for Hussein. A month later Hussein invaded Kuwait thinking the US would not respond.
1990. From July 18 to 1 August the Bush Administration approved $4.8 million in advanced technology product sales to Iraq. End-buyers included MIMI and Saad 16. Mimi was identified in 1988 as a facility for chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons programs. In 1989 Saad was linked to CW and NW development. The Bush Administration approved $695,000 worth of advanced data transmission devices the day before Iraq invades Kuwait. August 2, Iraq invades Kuwait."