"The whole inspection proceedure was of course a red herring, as we had already decided we were going in legally or illegally..Ake"

"Hardly a red-herring Ake, it was only because of GWB and the US Goverments efforts that the UNMOVIC Inspectors were invited back into Iraq.   Teribus"

And why was the US govt so keen to get the inspectors back in!
To try to gain UN support for the invasion which had already been decided upon.
They didn't get that support but they went ahead anyway.

The US govt didn't want to go to the UN at all but "advice" from
Blair persuaded them to take the diplomatic road, as it would play better with the British voters. A pay back for Blairs support in the face of public hostility.

How lucky for you that Bush did not at first take the military option.

Then you would have had NO red herrings to throw into the debate...Ake