Mardi Gras in Haditha...

I am about to wander far out of my designator. The recently declassified information snippet on Iraqi chemical weapons from the office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is intriguing. It addresses munitions which clearly appear to be pre-war components. Loaded chemical artillery shells, chemical primaries and the like are most assuredly dangerous in the hands of an opposing nation or terrorist group.

The volume of material found indicates that the Iraqi’s either had no control of their weapons stockpiles or blatantly deceived the UN and international inspection teams. A condition of the Gulf War cease fire was the dismantling and destruction of all chemical arms and submission to monitoring. Seems like that did not happen.

Iraq’s record of violations are clear and not in dispute. Their desire to appear “more dangerous” than they may have been was also clearly driven by the delusional and dangerous Hussein regime. Their material support of Hezbollah and other groups is also not in dispute. While the right will decry the left’s continued denial, one thing is clear. The discussion of WMD (chemical agents are actually WME – Weapons of Mass Effect -> grateful acknowledge to MAJ C. USMC (ret)) is now one for historians and analysts. What matters is our effort and progress in Iraq.

We must continue our civil rebuilding program, training of Iraqi forces (mostly building a strong NCO cadre) and thwarting the Iranians from interfering with the process adversely. Ridiculous resolutions thrown on the Senate floor belie the ignorance of our elected officials in managing this arduous process.

We are deeply involved in a MOOTW (Military Operation Other Than War). We are constrained by very specific ROE (Rules Of Engagement) and facing an irregular force. Determination, patience and ingenuity are our best tools.

Huh, sounds like New Orleans.