NBCNEWS: CACHE OF EXPLOSIVES VANISHED FROM SITE IN IRAQ BEFORE TROOPS ARRIVED...
The NYTIMES urgently reported on Monday in an apprent October Surprise: The Iraqi interim government and the U.N. nuclear agency have warned the United States that nearly 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives are now missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations.
[The source behind the NYT story first went to CBSNEWS' 60 MINUTES last Wednesday, but the beleaguered network wasn't able to get the piece on the air as fast as the newspaper could print. Executive producer Jeff Fager hoped to break the story during a high-impact election eve broadcast of 60 MINS on October 31.]
Jumping on the TIMES exclusive, Dem presidential candidate John Kerry blasted the Bush administration for its failure to "guard those stockpiles."
"This is one of the great blunders of Iraq, one of the great blunders of this administration," Kerry said.
In an election week rush:
**ABCNEWS Mentioned The Iraq Explosives Depot At Least 4 Times
**CBSNEWS Mentioned The Iraq Explosives Depot At Least 7 Times
**MSNBC Mentioned The Iraq Explosives Depot At Least 37 Times
**CNN Mentioned The Iraq Explosives Depot At Least 50 Times
But tonight, NBCNEWS reported: The 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives were already missing back in April 10, 2003 -- when U.S. troops arrived at the installation south of Baghdad!
An NBCNEWS crew embedded with troops moved in to secure the Al-Qaqaa weapons facility on April 10, 2003, one day after the liberation of Iraq.
According to NBCNEWS, the HMX and RDX explosives were already missing when the American troops arrived.
"The U.S. Army was at the site one day after the liberation and the weapons were already gone," a top Republican blasted from Washington late Monday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors last saw the explosives in January 2003 when they took an inventory and placed fresh seals on the bunkers.
Dem vp hopeful John Edwards blasted Bush for not securing the explosives: "It is reckless and irresponsible to fail to protect and safeguard one of the largest weapons sites in the country. And by either ignoring these mistakes or being clueless about them, George Bush has failed. He has failed as our commander in chief; he has failed as president."
A senior Bush official e-mailed DRUDGE late Monday: "Let me get this straight, are Mr. Kerry and Mr. Edwards now saying we did not go into Iraq soon enough? We should have invaded and liberated Iraq sooner?"
Top Kerry adviser Joe Lockhart fired back Monday night: "In a shameless attempt to cover up its failure to secure 380 tons of highly explosive material in Iraq, the White House is desperately flailing in an effort to escape blame. Instead of distorting John Kerry"™s words, the Bush campaign is now falsely and deliberately twisting the reports of journalists. It is the latest pathetic excuse from an administration that never admits a mistake, no matter how disastrous."
Why is the U.N. nuclear agency suddenly warning now that insurgents in Iraq may have obtained nearly 400 tons of missing explosives -- in early 2003?
NBCNEWS Jim Miklaszewski quoted one official: "Recent disagreements between the administration and the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency makes this announcement appear highly political."
RE: Kerry misled US about missing cache of weapons!
Not by the sources that broke the false story. Maybe the NY Times will bury it on page 20, but don't hold your breath. Much like the black church burnings, when the true facts emerge that not to the democrats' benefit, silence ensues rather than a retraction.
RE: Kerry misled US about missing cache of weapons!
I got this email from a liberal co-worker:
Quote:
I just wanted to thank George W. Bush for making me feel safer. I can sleep better at night knowing that 380 tons of explosives are unaccounted for in Iraq.
Thanks for the info in your email. I used part of it to shut him up.
RE: Kerry misled US about missing cache of weapons!
Well what do you know?
Fat chance having the truth broadcast from the major news outlets. And what I don't understand is why people get so bent out of shape over such a small amount. Sure, 380 tons can go a long way making IEDs and rockets, but think of how much is already out there, stockpiled by terrorists around Iraq (plenty is going from Iran to Shi'ite insurgents). These 380 tons are really just a drop in the bucket.
They already have guns and explosives galore, so let's stay focused on the real mission: killing them before they have a chance to use anything.
RE: Kerry misled US about missing cache of weapons!
Now I see where 60 minutes was going to use this story on election eve to take down Bush. Here we go again, another false story by CBS late in an election year to take down Bush. I hope this DESTROYS CBS (and Rather) for good! Maybe they were just being sloppy and ignorant of the facts, AGAIN??? before thoroughly checking into them, or maybe they figured the truth wouldn't come out until the sheeple voted Kerry into office.
RE: Kerry misled US about missing cache of weapons!
Kerry Blasts Bush on Missing Ammo
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
PHOTOS PHOTO ESSAYS OTHER
...
"Mr. President, what else are you being silent about? What else are you keeping from the American people?" Kerry said during a speech in Green Bay, referring to the estimated 380 tons of highly explosive material that have gone missing from an arms depot in Iraq.
Although Kerry and the Democrats are blaming the Bush administration for losing the ammo, calling it "one of the great blunders" of the Iraq war, recent reports by NBC show that the material was gone from that locale when the 101st Airborne Division rolled into Iraq to depose of Saddam Hussein.
There you go, see it for yourselves at the video on this site. The funny thing is, the left is trying to blame republicans for leaking the false story to the press. That is how warped they are!
Kerry misled US about missing cache of weapons!
