Monday, October 25, 2004

Don't Worry, It'll Turn Up

I am angrier with this administration than I have ever been. From today's NYTimes:

The Iraqi interim government has warned the United States and international nuclear inspectors that nearly 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives - used to demolish buildings, make missile warheads and detonate nuclear weapons - are missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations. (my emphasis)

The White House said President Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, was informed within the past month that the explosives were missing. It is unclear whether President Bush was informed. American officials have never publicly announced the disappearance, but beginning last week they answered questions about it posed by The New York Times and the CBS News program "60 Minutes."

After the invasion, when widespread looting began in Iraq, the international weapons experts grew concerned that the Qaqaa stockpile could fall into unfriendly hands. In May, an internal I.A.E.A. memorandum warned that terrorists might be helping "themselves to the greatest explosives bonanza in history."

760,000 pounds of high explosive. It took less than one pound of the same stuff to bring down Pan Am 103. If one pound of this shit went off under your ass, you'd be lucky if they found your belt buckle.

This is not unexpected news.The media has been going on about unprotected weapons caches and ammo dumps for months. Some of the dumps are miles on a side.

Our soldiers would have guarded or destroyed these dumps gladly if there were enough troops in theater to do it and if someone had told them to.

Our so-called leadership was asleep at the switch - again. This time it's more serious than ever and they should be held accountable, but don't bet on it.

Don't worry, Bush. Our soldiers will find the explosives. Oh, yes. They'll find them the same way they found missing or "dud" explosives in Vietnam - one piece at a time. Each time they find a little of it, one or more of them will die or be horribly maimed, just like Vietnam. Each soldier, and his family, can thank Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld for his death or lifetime as a cripple.

These explosives may turn up anywhere in the world for many years to come. We won't know where until it's too late to do anything except police up the carnage.

This could have been prevented, but Bush didn't do it. There is absolutely no excuse or reason for not securing these caches. Incompetence doesn't begin to cover it. Criminal negligence is closer to the truth.

Bush, if anything you've ever done consigns you to Hell, this is it. You motherfucker.

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