if I was Saddam

[oedo]

if I was Saddam, I would immediately destroy all my WoMD I (probably) still have left. not because I´m a nice and cooperative guy. not at all! but this would maybe be my only chance to survive this crisis politically.
on the other hand, the US force is that powerful that even with those weapons I wouldn´t stand a chance to win this imminent war or even delay my defeat.

thoughts?

[Drogue]

Saddam actually thinks he can win. Or so is reported. I don't think he will. I don't think he sees the justification for destroying it, when others have theirs. He may even be keeping it in case of MAD, to stop others from attacking him.

[Japher]

I agree.

Yet, lets harp on the US some more for being the aggressor, when Sad Man holds the key to world peace in the palm of his hand and won't do anything about it.

However, if I were Saddam I'd shoot myself in the head.

[Serb]

I would prepare my country for defense in war against aggressors. There can't be political solution- angry American mob already decided that Iraq should be lynched and its property confiscated. Even if thousands inspectors would promise thousands times that there are no single warhead in Iraq, it will change nothing I'm afraid.

[rah]

Saddam should continue the shell game that he's doing now. He's go the Euro's in ***** mode, the US in pissy mode, and the longer he can stall the better his chances of survival are. The Euro's aren't going to grow a spine without any definative proof, which he is easily able to a keep from them with an ineffective inspection crew.
While Bushy is trying to keep the pressure on spouting superalitives of potential dangers, support on the home front is wavering and declining by the day. Even now a majority of americans support action only if we can convert the euro pussies. Bushy can only keep the troops massed and ready for so long and fears if he waits too long, he will pay a huge political price.

That day has already passed.

Saddam has already won because if the US moves in now, bush will go down in flames with him. And how come I feel that even if this occurs, four years from now, only one of them will be in power. And it won't be Bush.

RAH

[lord of the mark]

Re: if I was Saddam

Originally posted by oedo
if I was Saddam, I would immediately destroy all my WoMD I (probably) still have left. not because I´m a nice and cooperative guy. not at all! but this would maybe be my only chance to survive this crisis politically.
on the other hand, the US force is that powerful that even with those weapons I wouldn´t stand a chance to win this imminent war or even delay my defeat.

thoughts?

BUt what good is mere survival - remember your goal is to go down as the modern Salah - al din, the great liberator and untier of the arabs against the imperialists - give up you WMD"s and youve given up your chance of dominating and uniting the region, expelling the Zionists, taking down the americans - youve given up you historic mission.

Hang on to them, try to ride this out with the help of the French, germans, russians, and lefties, you have a chance of survivinv AND keeping your WMD, and eventually moving on to glory. If your euro pals can buy you a couple of months, your good at least till fall. And you know Bush cant keep this up till fall - he cant keep troops their that long, and he has to worry about more North Koreas (problems that emerge while focused on Iraq) and teh US economy hangs in limbo, waiting for war. No if you make it past April Bush has to back down - and then youve humiliated ywt another US president - youve emerged as the great hero to all the haters and resenters of america - with Osama reviled, and fundie islam a margianlized force, you can make Baathist aecular nationalism the heir, and yourself the great hero. Tehn you can wait for sanctions to end, go out and finsih builidng nukes, take on the region.

[Clear Skies]

Just out of interest, how can you tell the inspectors are ineffective? Just because they haven't found anything?

[Flubber]

If I WERE Saddam, I would back down completely, implement democratic reforms and retire to somewhere "safe" and enjoy my fortune

If I were advising Saddam with regard to attaining his goals ( as best as I can understand them), I would repeat Rah's sentiments. Saddam should delay, compromise, partially capitulate and generally blur the issues. The idea is to try to deny the US any defining issue or moment on which a war would be launched.


More generally, I am troubled by the idea of US unilateral (or with a handful of supporters) action. Suppose Saddam HAS weapons of mass destruction-- so do the US and a host of countries. Who gets to decide which countries are permitted them? While I detest the Iraqi regime, I wonder on what basis you justify actions -- assuming that there is no proof of direct Iraqi involvment in attacks on the US.

Heck China and Russia probably still have some nukes pointed at the US

[DaShi]

Re: if I was Saddam

Originally posted by oedo
if I was Saddam, I would immediately destroy all my WoMD I (probably) still have left. not because I´m a nice and cooperative guy. not at all! but this would maybe be my only chance to survive this crisis politically.
on the other hand, the US force is that powerful that even with those weapons I wouldn´t stand a chance to win this imminent war or even delay my defeat.

thoughts?

You're not Saddam.

[Proteus_MST]

Re: Re: if I was Saddam

Originally posted by DaShi
You're not Saddam.

How can you tell,
maybe he is
but he is just unsure if he should destroy any WMDs left and is thus asking for advice

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Flubber
If I WERE Saddam, I would back down completely, implement democratic reforms and retire to somewhere "safe" and enjoy my fortune

If I were advising Saddam with regard to attaining his goals ( as best as I can understand them), I would repeat Rah's sentiments. Saddam should delay, compromise, partially capitulate and generally blur the issues. The idea is to try to deny the US any defining issue or moment on which a war would be launched.


More generally, I am troubled by the idea of US unilateral (or with a handful of supporters) action. Suppose Saddam HAS weapons of mass destruction-- so do the US and a host of countries. Who gets to decide which countries are permitted them? While I detest the Iraqi regime, I wonder on what basis you justify actions -- assuming that there is no proof of direct Iraqi involvment in attacks on the US.

Heck China and Russia probably still have some nukes pointed at the US

Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. Kuwait invoked its right of self-defense triggering the first gulf war, 1991. That war ended in a cease-fire, conditional on Iraqi disarmament, among other things. Iraq signed that ceasefire agreement and it is binding on Iraq. Iraqs failure to disarm is therefore a violation of that ceasefire, and renews the existing state of war from April 1991. Iraq is thus in a different legal situation from any state in the world, including US, Russia, Pakistan, India, Iran or Israel.

[Sonic]

Originally posted by Serb
I would prepare my country for defense in war against aggressors. There can't be political solution- angry American mob already decided that Iraq should be lynched and its property confiscated. Even if thousands inspectors would promise thousands times that there are no single warhead in Iraq, it will change nothing I'm afraid.

I have to agree...
Saddam has no chance anymore in my opinion.

[Proteus_MST]

Originally posted by Serb
I would prepare my country for defense in war against aggressors. There can't be political solution- angry American mob already decided that Iraq should be lynched and its property confiscated. Even if thousands inspectors would promise thousands times that there are no single warhead in Iraq, it will change nothing I'm afraid.

Yep, I would think the same.

And I would prepare everything to make the Cities (especially Baghdad) a battlefield.

Maybe I´d also look into the Internet and search for "Paul van Riper" and "Millenium Challenge" to get some tips how to effectively defeat american troops

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Clear Skies
Just out of interest, how can you tell the inspectors are ineffective? Just because they haven't found anything?

1. Because they havent arrived at answers to key questions - the questins are outlined in Blix's report yesterday to the UNSC.
2. Because the Iraqis did not let them interview scientists
3. Because the Iraqis cleaned out insopection sites before the inspectors got to them - expect to see some more spefic evidence of this in the next few days.

[DaShi]

Re: Re: Re: if I was Saddam

Originally posted by Proteus_MST


How can you tell,
maybe he is
but he is just unsure if he should destroy any WMDs left and is thus asking for advice

I don't think so.