[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Andr&eacutes Lescano:
BTW the so feared WMD haven't been found yet what strongly suggest they never existed.

Actually this suggests nothing of the sort. The Iraqi's would be expected to have any such faciliites close to Bagdad in areas that are still very much hostile at the moment. The coalition forces are a little busy at the moment to be going around rounding up the WMD. There will be time for that later.

Not to mention the jury is still very much out on the chemical plant that was found outside of Najaf. That plant is just a little too unusual to be brushed aside. Latest press reports are that "nothing has been found", but what the coalition is really saying is "we aren't saying we found anything". That is a big difference that may be lost on the press. We've only been at the plant for a little over 24 hours. Not really had time to bring in the experts and the detailed equipment. There are a lot of questions that need answered about the facility.

It's very likely that if we did find anything there or anywhere else at this point we would not be trumpeting the fact loudly. The biggest deterant to Sadaam (assuming he's still around) using the WMD's is that it would remove any sort of world opinion from his side. If nothing else he is a survivor and he is counting on that opinion to somehow bring a halt to the war before it's too late for him. If we broadcast the exsistance of a smoking gun at this point he loses what little credibility he has remaining, and most of his incentive not to order their use.

On the other hand, we don't particularly need the world opinion to radically shift to continue the war so we don't really have a strong incentive to expose any evidence this early.

Geoschmo