NationStates Jolt Archive

This story is being carried by BBC and FOX, as of yet I haven't seen a recent update on it from CNN. Initially spotted it linked from Fark to a site called NewsMax. There's some differences between accounts, but the definite consensus is that there was a terrorist attack planned in Jordan that would have struck the US and Israeli embassies and at least one Jordanian government building. Unknown official apparently said that the attack, if unthwarted, might have killed as many as 20,000 people. Some news sites state that al-Qaida was apparently involved, others don't.

So.

NewsMax: Foiled al-Qaida Attackers Caught Red-Handed With WMDs (http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/4/17/112546.shtml)
BBC: Jordan 'was chemical bomb target' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3635381.stm)
CNN: Jordan thwarts 'massive attack' (http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/04/14/jodan.attack/index.html)
FOX: Jordan on High State of Alert After Terror Find (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,116361,00.html)

I was amazed that this didn't get more coverage, the attack would have been on a humanitarian scale that nobody had ever seen before. If this had been in a Western country then it would have been all over the news, yet because it was in Jordan nobody seems to care. I don't know if that disturbs me more than the possible consequences of the attack itself.

I have my doubts about the projected casualty figures. Chemical weapons are crap, unless you are deploying them on the scale of divisional artillery or airstrikes. If they were hoping to disperse an airborne chemical agent using a large bomb, they wouldn't have got anywhere near 5-figure casualties. Even breaking the 1000 barrier takes an effort.

umm, what chemicals were they going to use? nobody actually said - unless i missed it. so what are we talking here? sarin, vx, pepper spray, mouthwash?

I have my doubts about the projected casualty figures. Chemical weapons are crap, unless you are deploying them on the scale of divisional artillery or airstrikes. If they were hoping to disperse an airborne chemical agent using a large bomb, they wouldn't have got anywhere near 5-figure casualties. Even breaking the 1000 barrier takes an effort.

The scale reported was probably a little inflated, but even if the potential number of casualties had been 5% of those reported I still find it remarkable that this story didn't get more coverage.

No kidding, especially since it's a victory against al-Qaeda. I guess because it didn't involve US troops, perhaps it wasn't considered important enough to report on.

Yeah, like all the arrests the Spanish "cowards" are making, and the bombs the "weak-willed" French are finding and disposing. :roll: