Boab,

You obviously have great faith in the capability and capacity of the UN weapons inspectors and see the way forward, through, and hopefully out of this mess, in relying on their efforts.

Which UN weapons inspectors Boab? UNSCOM or UNMOVIC? Do you consider that the UNSCOM Inspectors incompetent fools and that everything they reported was rubbish? If so what makes you think that the UNMOVIC Inspectors are infallable?

In your post above you say:

"...as long as there are present in Iraq a team [a much larger team if necessary] of inspectors representing the UN [NOT the vested interests of any minor group] there can be no opportunity for Saddam to unleash his "maybe" WMDs."

Unless the degree of Iraqi co-operation improves, there is no guarantee that any WMD will be found, or incontravertible evidence offered as to their destruction.

You believe Saddam Hussein to be "a first-class ratbag" and "an evil man". With the inspectors in place you contend that:

"there can be no opportunity for Saddam to unleash his "maybe" WMD's."

In saying that are you categorically dismissing the possibility that such weapons could not be passed to others and used. If you are, then I would love to here the reasoning to support such a contention.

I, on the other hand, contend that it is not without the bounds of possibility that this could happen, and there lies the threat. All, repeat all, the indications are there to support that view in regard to this man and the regime he heads.