"Explosive" Breaking News . . .

[christa]

http://www.drudgereport.com/nbcw.htm

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX MON OCT 25 2004 22:45:05 ET XXXXX

NBCNEWS: HUGE CACHE OF EXPLOSIVES VANISHED FROM SITE IN IRAQ -- AT LEAST 18 MONTHS AGO -- BEFORE TROOPS ARRIVED

The NYTIMES urgently reported on Monday how the Iraqi interim government has warned the United States and international nuclear inspectors that nearly 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives are now missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations.

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, once: 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.

It is not clear why the NYTIMES failed to report the cache had been missing for 18 months -- and was reportedly missing before troops even arrived.

"The U.S. Army was at the sight 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.

Developing...

-----------------------------------------------------------
Filed By Matt Drudge
Reports are moved when circumstances warrant
http://www.drudgereport.com for updates
(c)DRUDGE REPORT 2004
Not for reproduction without permission of the author

[Lady's Human]

The only reason that the story was even reported on was to hit the President in the polls. The story was widely reported immediately after the invasion, and was then picked up again after the Iraqi Govt. sent a letter to the UN on the 10th of October. Makes you wonder about why they held off on the story until almost 2 weeks later.............

[christa]

We'll see this in the morning . . . probably be the story of the day . . . the truth, hmm, what a concept . . . I have a feeling it's going to come back to bite them!

[Prairie Purrs]

MSNBC

According to the report linked above, a Pentagon official (as opposed to some "top Republican") stated as follows:

At the Pentagon, an official who monitors developments in Iraq said U.S.-led coalition troops had searched Al-Qaqaa in the immediate aftermath of the March 2003 invasion and confirmed that the explosives, which had been under IAEA seal since 1991, were intact. The site was not secured by U.S. forces, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

In other words, this cache of explosives did not vanish before the troops arrived. The International Atomic Energy Agency had secured these explosives before the war. They were still there when U.S. forces arrived. The U.S. forces didn't bother to secure them, and so they were stolen.

And why is this a big deal? Because we're talking about 360 TONS of explosives, one POUND of which is enough to blow an airliner out of the sky. We're talking about explosives that are very likely being used right now to kill and maim our soldiers.

But these are conventional weapons, not WMDs, so this administration wasn't interested in them. Just another example of the shortsighted arrogance that has been characteristic of Bush & Co.

[lizzielou742]

Excuse me, we really don't need Drudge on Pet Talk.

You clearly meant to type in freerepublic.com into your browser.

[guster girl]

Originally posted by lizzielou742
Excuse me, we really don't need Drudge on Pet Talk.

You clearly meant to type in freerepublic.com into your browser.

I'm not trying to be funny here, but, I was reading this thread, and, don't know what you mean. Will you explain in here or pm me? thanks!

[lizzielou742]

Sure, I'll explain it right now.

What I am saying is that Christa is reading stories from Internet news sources, coming in here and spewing conservative pro-Bush talking points from right-wing blogs like freerepublic.com. I could just as easily come in here and post something completely contradictory to what she just posted from a left-wing blog. But I'm not going to do that, because I think it's unnecessary and makes PTers uncomfortable. It's just something that should be left out there in the blogosphere for people to fight about. Don't bring the fight here.

[guster girl]

Gotcha. Thank you.

[Cincy'sMom]

I have not spoken up in the political threads, and I'd probablly do better to not do so now, but for once I am not going to.

I have not read every post in every thread. I admit that. But over and over again, it seems anything pro-Bush is instantly flamed. I dont see that happening the same way with the pro-Kerry posts. And I'mnot even saying that this has happned in this thread, just in political threads in general) Sure, there have been some, but it seems Bush supporters are attacked much more vehemntly. Maybe I have missed some, and maybe I am speaking out of turn, but it seems like things could be debated a little more respectfully. Just my opinion.

[K9soul]

Originally posted by Cincy'sMom
it seems like things could be debated a little more respectfully. Just my opinion.

I agree. Though I have seen both sides attacked, it seems more on this board support Kerry and so I have seen it more often towards Bush supporters. We can have separate views and still be civil with each other I think

[lizzielou742]

I still say leave the Drudge Report to the wingnuts.

Are we going to do this all the way into next week? 'Cause it could get really ugly.

[guster girl]

things can definitely be discussed more respectfully. i see nothing wrong with debates, as long as they're done with a little tact, and, in the dog house.

[guster girl]

Originally posted by lizzielou742
I still say leave the Drudge Report to the wingnuts.

Are we going to do this all the way into next week? 'Cause it could get really ugly.

It already did, haven't you seen the other threads? Scary. But, yeah, I imagine it will go past next week, and, I'm alright with it, like I said, as long as people can just be freakin' nice. You can make a point without being rude about it. That's just my opinion.

[aly]

I think the Bush supporters are just as vocal as the Kerry supporters. The problem is that since there are more Kerry supporters, it sometimes seems like the Bushers are being attacked. Trust me, Bush supporters get their fair share of digs in too

Our local news was talking about how Bush and Kerry campaign signs keep coming up missing or vandalized. I think it is sick that people are resorting to that stuff. I really can't wait for it all to be over!

[guster girl]

My friend, Alison, has a sticker on her car that says "anyone but bush" and she was always getting nasty stickers on her car, and, someone even kicked her bumper in.