GCS, there's also plenty of old footage of Bumsfeld cosying up to Saddam from years ago. And Saddam thought he had the OK from the US Ambassador to invade Kuweit. She would hardly have been so relaxed if she didn't think she was interpreting the political steer from above fairly accurately.

I wouldn't have much respect for Chirac, but the fact that he's a corrupt cynic doesn't make his position wrong on the war-lust of the Bushies.