CarolC:

"All such differences aside, Amos, I, personally, favor letting the inspectors decide what is needed in order for them to do their job, rather than having it dictated to them by the Bush and Blair administrations, or by Teribus even."

Apart from the current American Administration insisting on a new resolution being adopted by the UN prior to their arrival (UNSC Resolution 1441). Neither G.W. Bush, Tony Blair or myself have ever in any way shape or form dictated to UNMOVIC or to the IAEA what is needed for them to do their job.

Amos thanks for the link to the Saudi Initiative. Some points:

The introductory paragraph of Time Exclusive says (wrt Arab Leaders), "So after years of tolerating Saddam Hussein's aggression and terror, some of them are turning against him."

Really? I've seen precious little evidence of that.

The Saudi proposal relies on the UN unanimously adopting a war option that would be kept as a measure of last resort -

Under what circumstances does Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al Faisal think that this could ever be achieved and, if achieved, maintained in any credible form?

"...the Saudi formula is an offer of amnesty to Iraqi officials and military officers who demonstrate their readiness to cooperate with the U.N. by revealing information on arms concealment or by showing other clear signs that they oppose Iraq's non-compliance with U.N. resolutions."

The undoubted inference from this is that Saudi Arabia officially firmly believes that Iraq is concealing weapons and is not currently complying with U.N. resolutions.

"Amnesty would be an attractive offer, the Saudi's believe, because Iraqi officials are fearful that they may be hunted down and prosecuted for being part of a regime that has used weapons of mass destruction against foreign enemies as well as its own people."

Wouldn't work, Teribus believes, because Iraqi officials would be absolutely bloody terrified that their passing on of such information came to the notice of Saddam's security services. Prosecution would then be the least of their concerns, not only for themselves but for their entire families, friends of their families and family pets.

"Our idea" Saud added, "is to transform the military effort of the United Nations from a military effort that seeks to occupy, that seeks to inflict pain on Iraq, into an effort that is aimed at guaranteeing the security and territorial integrity of Iraq. The essential part of it is for the Iraqi government to(continue to) be a functioning government, to allow for a peaceful transition."

That is the existing Ba'athist government our Highness is talking about isn't it?? If so, as an Iraqi Shi'ite, or an Iraqi Kurd I believe I'd want some form of guarantee that the continuing Ba'athist regime does not occupy my land and does not inflict pain on me during this "peaceful" transition.

The rift in the UNSC is mentioned.

"The way it is going, we see divergence of opinions in the Security Council. That will encourage Saddam Hussein to think, 'If there is division, I can obfuscate and not do anything and get away with it.'

Well his Highness is right about that - that is what Saddam has been doing for 12 years now and he is still getting away with it - He would continue to get away with it under this Saudi Initiative - after all what would stop him.

Middle and senior ranked Iraqi officials and military personnel, working inside one of the most paranoid and repressive regimes on earth are seriously being asked to put their trust and faith in the U.N.??? Who does Prince Saud think occupies those positions within Iraq, idealistic graduates who got there by merit and serving their time?? The people entrusted with Iraq's state secrets and who are in a position to blow the whistle on sensitive projects and programmes are Saddam's men through and through. They are also monitored by Iraqi Internal Security Services to ensure that things stay the way they are.