Monkey Catskin wrote:
Quoting U.S. officials and U.N. diplomats, the newspaper said that Iraqi scientists and defense officials are using Western-made computers to transfer data from bulky papers to small disks that can be easily dispersed, making the information difficult for inspectors to track. This is an interesting development because it also makes it hard for
Michael Wilson wrote that Reuters wrote: the Iraqi government to track what is going on, too. The government of Iraq has been aware of the dangers of computers for many years. At one time they were tightly controlled. Even typewriters were controlled. The government had writing samples of each one. Now, apparently, this policy is loosening. This suggests that U.S. policy of the last 8 years has managed to achieve what Saddam Hussein could not - it has made the Hussein regime a genuinely popular government. I wonder... does Iraq have a web site?
While third world contries seldom have computer specialists, it seemed pretty easy for Iraq to get biological weapon specialists working for them. [Other more sensible arguments exist...] Iraq has more money than they can reasonably spend, but management troubles. Solution: IntraIraq, the network with Sadam ads. While burning papers has some flare to it, it's pretty likely that most of the classified data not in Sadam's head must be in some computer system[s], easily housed by the UN no-no sites for inspectors. Also, can Iraq's people create [and display] web pages? -Brandon Crosby