Another day, another explosivesgate roundup! Let’s begin with the release of a single satellite image of the Al Qaaqaa facility by the Department of Defense, which shows trucks parked outside some of the bunkers.
GlobalSecurity.org cautions us, however, that the trucks do not appear to be parked directly in front of bunkers which were identified by the IAEA as containing HMX.
Like everyone else, I’m very curious if we’ll get additional images, or if this is it. As we say, “developing”.
On to other matters: the passtime for all the cool kids in the blogosphere last night was debunking the new video produced by ABC News (which seems to be having a rather difficult time remembering which side it is on).
Powerline, naturally considering it something of a hometown duty (given that it was a Minneapolis affiliate), does the math on the containers shown in the photographs, concluding: “On the most generous interpretation, there are nowhere near 380 tons of explosives shown in any of the KSTP photographs, or in all of them together.”
Jim Geraghty systematically dissects the argument that the videotape proves, well, anything:
As usual, it is foolish for folks to jump in and conclude that they know what was in the containers without gathering all of the facts. How many Kerry-backing writers who will cite this video as a smoking gun are familiar with what materials are classified 1.1D?
I sure as heck don’t know what 1.1D means. But then, I’m not squeaking “This is it folks!!! Conclusive proof!!! Case closed!!!“. (OK, he didn’t use exclamation points. But you know he wanted to…)
Captain Ed, also with a hometown dog in the fight, is also not impressed:
“Bottom line? The materials shown in the video could have been any of 80 different materials, with the three from the IAEA actually being among the least likely to have been stored in this manner. The reporters say that the military told them at the time that the area had been secured at an outer perimeter, a sensible approach for a military on a lightning-quick advance. And the Times cannot even verify that the video was taken at the ASP in question.”
Ed also notes approvingly the Washington Post story this morning, which he says “injects some context and not a little sanity into the hyperventilation coming from the Kerry campaign and the left on Al Qaqaa.” And
Meanwhile, Paul over at Wizbang is not impressed with the geography skills of ABC’s embed:
So he did not know where he was at the time the footage was shot. Not surprising, he’s not from there after all and let’s review, it’s a freaking desert.. But even after coming home and seeing it on the map, he still can’t confirm where he was…”
…and head Wizbanger Kevin sums it up nicely:
1. The containers KSTP filmed could contain any number of items that were not HMX or RDX.
2. They containers were filmed, as best as I can tell from the available evidence, in an area that was not sealed by the IAEA.
Hugh Hewitt wraps this aspect of the story nicely:
One bunker. Unknown number of barrels. Not sure if it is an I.A.E.A. seal. An unidentified expert.
Versus the greatest march of an army in history.
John Kerry and the MSM want the American public to conclude that the troops didn’t do their jobs? And this bit of video and a memo from I.A.E.A. is their proof?
Keep digging, MSM. Game’s up. Everybody knows.
The other significant and evolving aspect of the story yesterday was that the Bush administration began to carefully trot out the heavy hitters to begin debunking the story.
First up: General Tommy Franks! Beldar notes his appearance at a Bush campaign rally:
George W. Bush is a leader who knows that our troops, as of right now, have cleared 10,000 ammunition and weapons sites in Iraq. He knows that they have destroyed 240,000 tons of munitions in Iraq. He knows that they have under control
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