Glenn Reynolds makes an interesting point – we can’t find a biological weapons plant in our own back yard. As police drain a Maryland pond looking for evidence in the anthrax case, it becomes clear how easy it is to make biological agents capable of killing thousands. If we can’t find evidence of a plant that has already killed people in our own country how realistic is it that we could find one in Iraq in a matter of a few days or weeks?
No WMDs Here Either
Published
With all this intelligence Powell showed to the United Nations, and the integrity of this entire war on the line, one would think we’d be finding WMD’s in Iraq if they existed. The consequences are too high for this administration not to. If simple incompetence by the American military and inspection teams is your best defense as to why these weapons are not being discovered, I’d say you guys are in pretty big trouble.
Except, Mark, that that’s clearly NOT the point.
If the Iraqis struck all of their WMD info down to just the knowledge it takes to rebuild them, and some precursor materials and odd-lot manufacturing facilities, then as Jay says it would be VERY hard to find them.
Put another way: all of the printed material it takes to build an atomic bomb, manufacture Sarin and VX and BX and Phosgene, and brew Anthrax can be burned onto one CD.
Can you think it’s possible to hide something like that in a state the size of California? With 14 months’ notice, I mean?