I wonder what's up with these three 'mystery' ships

[Dan Murphy]

ABC news item Sure sounds strange.

 

[December99]

Interesting....

 

[olena]

Kind of ingenious, if they're what we think they are. No inspectors at sea.

 

[Tony-NJ]

doesn't sound right.

 

[Blondie]

Looks bad if you ask me.

 

[RitaZ.]

Something is wrong with that "picture"...

 

[zulaya]

Very interesting...if these are large cargo ships though, they would have to probably put a serious hole in it to scuttle it that quickly. If they are in violation of international maritime law, then get some special forces in there and check it out.

 

[tater bug]

Have they been steaming all that time without re-fueling? I'm curious to know what country sent a tanker to help them out.

too bad those ships can't be searched. Maybe when they get into their "home port" something can be done.

 

[BWVDenise]

What do they mean by "scuttled?"

 

[TerryKitten]

Scuttled means to sink the ship on purpose.

That is why they are worried to approch it. Sinking it with who knows what on it can get into the ocean and can cause damage to it.

 

[BWVDenise]

I kind of thought that but didn't want to "assume."

 

[cgcw]

I find these type of things scary. It worries me that someone could actually think of things to harm others in new ways. I don't worry so much about myself but what about my children?? What type of worries are they going to have in the future. I'm sure our parents never concerned themselves with things that we have lived through. That's what my worry is for my kids. If I can't even think of what might happen, what are they going to have to live with as a reality? Does that make any sense?

 

[ead79]

I certainly wouldn't put it past Saddam to hide the WMDs aboard ships like this. I hope that we are able to quickly determine what' s on board and get it off safely if it is indeed dangerous.

 

[minniecarousel]

Why isn't this on the front page? This is very scary stuff!

 

[grinningghost]

That's pretty weird. Thanks for the heads up Dan, I didn't see anything about this on the news.

 

[zulaya]

And why with all the satellite data we have on the stuff in Iraq on the ground, do we not have a satellite trained on these ships trying to determine what's on board? I mean, with all the technology we have available, and given that these ships probably aren't made of lead or any other metal capable of diffusing a scan, why haven't those options been explored? Well, maybe they have and nobody's telling. I am sick of watching the world play the waiting game.

 

[Goofyposter]

I mean, with all the technology we have available, and given that these ships probably aren't made of lead or any other metal capable of diffusing a scan, why haven't those options been explored?

satellite data will only help with what is visiable...not what might, or might not be in a ship's hold. As far as "scanning" is concerned the only type of scan I'm aware that could possibly be done by satellite would be spectrological to determine the what's again in "plain view". We don't yet have the ala star trek technology of molecular construct assessment remotely.

I'm very sure that we'll monitor the exact location of these ships and at the right time 'make contact'. I agree it is a logical proposition that Saddam could have sent 'his toys' away for 'safe keeping'....but honestly I doubt he would have sent all of his WMD items out of the country.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Interesting. I was talking the other day with someone who said France is against a war (and was Germany the other they mentioned?) because they don't want the US to find out they've been selling things to Iraq when they're supposedly our allies! Maybe they're helping them out.

 

[nativetxn]

Very interesting article. Thanks for the link, Dan.

 

[WillyJ]

Considering this came from just a newspaper and seems to be too bizzare for even the Bush administration to float out there as having credibility, I don't give it much credence. . .