The Scrutinator

As more information comes to light, mabye it's time to re-visit the entire Al QaQaa issue. The Pentagon just had a press conference with Major Austin Pearson, describing his ordnance-removal activities. Though the picture is still unclear, more light is shed hour by hour.

Here's what the press conference revealed & reiterated.

• The explosives in question constituted 1/1000th of what was identified and being destroyed in Iraq.
• Contrary to what the Times implies, military commanders were tracking these sites and issuing orders to have the material destroyed. Maj. Pearson's April 13 mission was perhaps the first of any number of such missions.
• There's no evidence that the Times made an effort to track down commanders like Major Pearson, or otherwise determine if the explosives were properly disposed.
• The described mission's purpose was to protect the troops at the site. Hence, the site was being occupied. (If there are no enemy forces in the area, which there weren't at the time, one wouldn't necessarily use the word "guard," as in "we guarded it from nobody.")
• Satellite photos show Saddam's activity before the arrival of US forces, with trucks on the site. This could explain what Pearson described as "exposed" munitions.
• No sign of IAEA seals on this mission.
• It's not clear if this first mission was to even break open locked bunkers. Other bunkers had dirt piled against the door to impede access.

By The Scrutinator @ 1:26 PM