Well, sure, I know of the report, bb... I've had a copy of it in my filing cabinet going back to when it was issued...

And, yeah, I've read it... Yes there is some back-and-forth in it but on the central issue of cooperation I believe that Dr. Blix's statement was an indication that Dr. Blix felt good about Iraq's level of cooperation...

We need to put some historical perspective on this, however... Yes, Saddam we now learn was doing a lot of bluffing... That much I think we can all agree on... But, if one puts himself in Saddam's shoes, what would you ahve done... No, don't think like an American, or a Brit, here but as the leader of a Middle East country... I can understand why Saddam bluffed...

But bluffing isn' the issue, is it???

No, the issue comes down to the inspectors... And Dr. Blix gave an upbeat assessment of Iraq's finally getting it...

Like I asked before... Why so much importance on things that happened in the past which can no longer be changed and so little importance on those things that can be changed???

I guess, bb, that you are incapable of admitting that the light had gone off in Saddam's head... Dr. Blix saw it... He reported it to the UN...

In a way, you will always be fighting with the past, bb... I don't get it... Nothin' happens in the past... Things happen in the here and now and that's why Dr. Blix was willing and anxious to continue and that is what the US should be doing right now rather than blowing a lot of Bush hot air up people's posteriors...

B~