if I was Saddam

oedo · January 28, 2003, 14:21

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 · January 28, 2003, 14:29

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 · January 28, 2003, 14:30

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 · January 28, 2003, 14:33

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 · January 28, 2003, 14:38

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 · January 28, 2003, 14:51

Quote:

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 · January 28, 2003, 14:59

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

Flubber · January 28, 2003, 15:11

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 · January 28, 2003, 15:13

Quote:

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 · January 28, 2003, 15:16

Quote:

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 · January 28, 2003, 15:16

Quote:

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 · January 28, 2003, 15:17

Quote:

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 · January 28, 2003, 15:19

Quote:

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 · January 28, 2003, 15:19

Quote:

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 · January 28, 2003, 15:20

Quote:

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.

chequita guevara · January 28, 2003, 15:23

If I was Saddam, I'd wait 'till atacked to use my WoMD, and then I'd use them all on Kuwait City. If I'm going down, I'm taking them with me.

Serb · January 28, 2003, 15:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Flubber
Heck China and Russia probably still have some nukes pointed at the US

Of course we have.

Sure you heard about new American nuclear doctrine. Guess which two countries they going to nuke first, if Bush decide that he feel smell of danger (so-called preemptive strike)?

Sandman · January 28, 2003, 15:39

If I was Saddam...

I'd bury all the WMDs that I probably don't have in the desert where nobody would ever find it. They'd be worse than useless in combat, and the need for the Americans (and chums) to waste their time with countermeasures is the only benefit there is.

I'd mount searchlights on the backs of trucks and use them to shoot down stealth fighters.

Get the Iraqi people and soldiers motivated! Massive wage increases for the armed forces, with substantial bounties on enemy units. Inspiring speeches and propaganda! The Iraqi national anthem from every radio station and television station in the land.

Get Special Republican Guards to pretend to surrender, before turning on their captors. That should make the American troops more edgy.

Take in volunteers from the Arab world, especially those with experience fighting against technically superior foes. Too bad they'll all be fundies, but hey, might as well make use of them.

Don't let the crusaders take a single functioning oil well.

Traianvs · January 28, 2003, 16:22

Quote:

I'd bury all the WMDs that I probably don't have in the desert where nobody would ever find it

Hmm, first of all you can still detect nuclear bombs even if they are buried (unless you happen to have a really really really deep shaft)

secondly, according to your plan, it would be better to actually use the weapons, rather than bury them... about the oil fields, burning them wouldn't do any good, as the US don't rely on iraqi oil, if you're going down anyway there's no point in putting extra resources in burning the huge masses of oil (remember, Iraq has a few hundred billion barrels left, i reckon it wouldn't be easy to get rid of all that so quickly).

If I were Saddam i'd indeed try to delay the US until they can't attack anymore due to summer in iraq (temperatures can be hell up there, don't be fooled!), weapnos would be too hot to hold on to, and complicated mechanisms wouldn't work properly in the blistering heat...
of course, if it does come to a war, give them everything you've got, if he's got chemicals, the better, he could us them, if not, no problem, he can still field a reasonably big army, it doesn't necessarily have to be a good one...

it's only needed to give him time and space to flee the country and get settled somewhere safe, it wouldn't be smart to flee right away, leaving the country to the US.. as he wouldn't be able to get a safe hideout that easily...

Urban Ranger · January 29, 2003, 05:56

Quote:

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?

It is just a pretext, an excuse. Even if Saddam had destroyed all of them after Gulf War, Dubya would still come up with something lame.

TheStinger · January 29, 2003, 06:03

I'd invade Kuwait and Saudi and threaten to blow up the wells

Urban Ranger · January 29, 2003, 06:04

That's a good idea.