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[casi] Illogic on WMD



*  U.S. PLANS HUNT FOR IRAQI BIO-WEAPONS
by Mark Fritz
Las Vegas Sun (from AP), 19th March
...
...
Failing to find significant evidence of biological and chemical arms
would mean one of two things: that U.S. claims they exist were
exaggerated, or that Saddam was successful in moving them out of the
country. Iraq denies it has any such weapons.

Logical validity is defeated when one premises are biased. Failure to
find Chemical/Biological arms could also mean Iraq has none -- that they
were destroyed. There are reasons to consider this: such weapons
deteriorate, and are expensive and risky to maintain. Iraq's use of such
weapons (without US support) would bring down much wrath from the world,
as would attempts to invade other nations. Simply allowing people to
believe one has such weapons is as an effective deterrent as actually
possessing them. Failure to find any does not lead to only the two
conclusions stated.

Recently the media has said or repeated the argumetn that having chemical
suits and atropine injectors is evidence that Iraq has C/B weapons. The
US also has such things. Iraq may fear the US might use such weapons,
considering that Iraq obtained their own from the West. Additionally,
Iran has used C/B weapons. Even if Iraq destroyed what C/B weapons they
had, there is no good reason to also destroy their defenses against them.
We should all be careful to pick up on faulty logic in statements.

Oh, what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to *believe*.


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