Is it possible that Iraq has nuclear weapons?

I've been thinking - Saddam knows he'll either be captured or die. Is it possible that Iraq has nuclear weapons, and that they plan to use them? Could that be a reason why they're so confident? Did the U.N. weapon inspectors have time to see ALL of Iraq's weapons?

 

[Fencer128]

Originally posted by: jumpr
I've been thinking - Saddam knows he'll either be captured or die. Is it possible that Iraq has nuclear weapons, and that they plan to use them? Could that be a reason why they're so confident? Did the U.N. weapon inspectors have time to see ALL of Iraq's weapons?

Every assessment I've seen or read about states that it is highly unlikely Iraq has any nuclear weapons. The most they may have is a small amount of nuclear material.

Andy

 

[dullard]

No I don't think they do. But wouldn't it be nice to know before we stepped into this hornet's nest? If they had one, the day after New York City is distroyed is the wrong time to say "boy wouldn't it have been nice to have found this and distroyed it before we started the war".

 

[Grasshopper27]

No one seriously believes they have nukes.

That being said, if they did, why not set one off now to try and make the war stop?

: ) Hopper

 

[conjur]

Possible? Yes


Probable? No.

 

[FoBoT]

no nukes

he does have some nasty chemical weapons that could kill a lot of american troops, if he can deliver them to the battle field

 

[aswedc]

They were confident before the first Gulf War also. As the Iraqi soldiers already surrendering show, this confidence doesn't extend far past the government propaganda sources...

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: conjur
Possible? Yes


Probable? No.

 

[jahawkin]

A deliverable nuke: .01% chance, I'd say

 

[Mallow]

I figure the only way he could have a nuke is if Russia or China sold him one. They would have to be very very stupid to make such a move. No way the iraqi weapons programs got that far.

I believe he may have a dirty bomb (ie. nuclear material exploded into the atmosphere by conventional explosives) which could be devistating to ground troops.

I believe he must have something up his sleave otherwise he wouldn't have let it go this far. Saddam cares about two things, his life and his regime, both of which he will now lose.

 

[Alistar7]

for those that say no, out of all the suitcase nukes the former soviet states can't account for there is no chance he wound up with one? What better person for a terrorist nation to pass this along to, there is no doubt he would use one...

 

[Fencer128]

Originally posted by: Alistar7
for those that say no, out of all the suitcase nukes the former soviet states can't account for there is no chance he wound up with one? What better person for a terrorist nation to pass this along to, there is no doubt he would use one...

Whilst obviously remaining cautious - you can only make an objective opinion off of the facts. It is certainly possible that he could have such a device (if they really are floating about) - but since no one - not even the invading forces have even hinted/claimed this - there is no reason to think that he as.

Andy

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Most likely this time round if he does have chem or bio weapons, he or one of his sons will have to set it off, as the rest of his army, knowing that the us would obliterate them if they did set them off, would turn tail and run or surrender to a wounded soilder.

 

[Fencer128]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Most likely this time round if he does have chem or bio weapons, he or one of his sons will have to set it off, as the rest of his army, knowing that the us would obliterate them if they did set them off, would turn tail and run or surrender to a wounded soilder.

Whilst I do not doubt your logic - the same could have been said of the last conflict. At the time everyone thought the allies would take Baghdad and capture/kill Saddam. Its only with hindsight that we know that was not on the cards.

Andy

 

[LH]

Saddam has had the money to buy one. And if he bought one it could easily be hidden. So I wouldnt say its impossible. Unlikely, I think so.

 

[Mallow]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Most likely this time round if he does have chem or bio weapons, he or one of his sons will have to set it off, as the rest of his army, knowing that the us would obliterate them if they did set them off, would turn tail and run or surrender to a wounded soilder.

Wide scale fast "Obliteration" is not possible in a highly civilian populated area like baghdad (sp?)

 

[Mookow]

Possible? Technically

Probable? No.

 

[JYDog]

Nukes are also pretty useless against armor like tanks, if he has them it would be a political move not a military one.

 

[LH]

Nukes are also pretty useless against armor like tanks, if he has them it would be a political move not a military one.

Do you honestly think his first target would be US troops? Nope it would be Israel. If he had a nuke, Israel would be nuked first. If he had two, then he would attack US ground troops. And tanks may be safe from nukes, but tanks are just a fraction of our ground troops.

 

[JYDog]

Originally posted by: LH

Nukes are also pretty useless against armor like tanks, if he has them it would be a political move not a military one.

Do you honestly think his first target would be US troops? Nope it would be Israel. If he had a nuke, Israel would be nuked first. If he had two, then he would attack US ground troops. And tanks may be safe from nukes, but tanks are just a fraction of our ground troops.

They're useless in the sense that you can't really destroy whole tank colums with them, tanks are tough. Well, he or his generals would probaly use them on ground troops first to win a morale victory probably, who knows.

 

[murphy55d]

The former director of the Iraqi nuclear project/whatever was on Fox News the other day and said Iraq definitely does not have Nukes.

Take it for what it's worth.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
The former director of the Iraqi nuclear project/whatever was on Fox News the other day and said Iraq definitely does not have Nukes.

Take it for what it's worth.

Is he still in Iraq and working under Saddam or is he now in the States having fled the tyrant?

 

[SuperTool]

If Iraq had nukes, we wouldn't be invading it.

 

[StageLeft]

No they don't.

 

[murphy55d]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: murphy55d
The former director of the Iraqi nuclear project/whatever was on Fox News the other day and said Iraq definitely does not have Nukes.

Take it for what it's worth.

Is he still in Iraq and working under Saddam or is he now in the States having fled the tyrant?

He's in the States, he left Iraq.