the incompetence... the incompetence...

Huge Cache of Explosives Vanished From Site in Iraq

(this link is to the kerry site's re-post of the nytimes article, since you need to be a ny times user to read the ny times. but i checked and its the same text, word for word.)

The Iraqi interim government has warned the United States and international nuclear inspectors that nearly 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives - used to demolish buildings, make missile warheads and detonate nuclear weapons - are missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations.

The huge facility, called Al Qaqaa, was supposed to be under American military control but is now a no man's land, still picked over by looters as recently as Sunday. United Nations weapons inspectors had monitored the explosives for many years, but White House and Pentagon officials acknowledge that the explosives vanished sometime after the American-led invasion last year.

it amazes me (why? i dont know) that this administration has been so diligent in carrying out their occupation and "hunting down terrorists," yet somehow didn't keep a watch on this widely known facility that manufactured a HUGE amount of explosives. WMD's! they kept shouting. WMD's! so they didn't find any of those, but somehow just let all these explosives disappear?

the irony. really.

one of my favorite scenes in "team america" (a film to which i still say "... wtf WAS that?!") is when they turn to "intelligence," a giant super computer in their lair. the computer, "intelligence," had told them that there were terrorists in the wrong location. the leader goes, "yes, that was bad intelligence." he turns to look at the computer. "bad intelligence!" he says. "sorry," says the computer. and that's the end of that.

you know the bush administration is wishing that it could be that easy. well actually, it kind of was.

anyway, kerry quickly responded to this news, of course.

"George W. Bush who talks tough and brags about making America safer has once again failed to deliver. After being warned about the danger of major stockpiles of explosives in Iraq, this administration failed to guard those stockpiles – where nearly 380 tons of highly explosive weapons were kept. Today we learned that these explosives are missing, unaccounted for and could be in the hands of terrorists.

"The unbelievable incompetence of this president and his administration has put our troops at risk. George W. Bush has failed the essential test of any commander in chief to keep America safe."

you go john! just hope that people are actually listening... hello, american people? hello? bueller?