This from Teribus in reply to Frank Hamilton

C'mon Frank can't have it both ways - UN sanctions were put in place because Saddam refused to comply with stipulations made under UN Security Council resolutions, that he agreed to in order to hold onto power in Iraq. What would you have done? - shrugged your shoulders and said,"OK fair enough, at least I tried, keep your weapons, develop more if you want, 'cos freely admit I can't prevent you."

So the Ma'adan are free to get shot at - well Frank, so are you, and if you live in the US of A - you are probably more likely to get shot in the US than a Marsh Arab is in his homeland. Ba'ath Party sympathisers I believe are as rare as rocking horse shit among the Ma'adan and Shias who inhabit the Southern part of Iraq. Borne out by the number of incidents in that part of Iraq since May. They are free to be intimidated by a conquering army? Is that conquering army intimidating them? Examples please.

Regarding any WMD and associated weapons development programmes. You claim that they never existed in the first place. Your claim is not borne out by what Dr. Blix and his inspectors found.

What weapons of mass destruction did the US give to Saddam Hussein? During the Iran/Iraq war, it was very well documented what aid was given by America, France, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, China - to both sides engaged in that conflict - so you should have no trouble detailing what weapons the US gave.

So the US Administration is dictating directly the wording, form and make-up of the new Iraqi Constitution and Government? Really? Is that fact Frank, or just your opinion, your belief? All indications are at present is that the US Administration has shifted it's stance on this after consultations with IGC; UN; France & Russia.

Notice, also, that the National Museum, while a repository of that nations treasures was not regarded as a "shrine". Also note that most of the treasure looted was in fact removed for safe keeping by the curators, note that 94% of what was supposedly looted has been recovered and returned.

You find it surprising, or of great significance, that infrastructure associated with Iraq's oil and gas production were heavily guarded by the Coalition forces? Remember what Saddam Hussein did when his forces pulled out of Kuwait? He also specifically stated that he would do the same to Iraq's oilfields this March. He was prevented from doing so in part by the efforts of the Coalition forces and also by the Iraqi civilians who worked in the national oil and gas industry, they sabotaged preparations made by SRG units and the Saddam Fedayeen. Same applied to a certain dam, Saddam said it was to be blown up - that was one of the first targets secured during the invasion. Otherwise "shrines" were left severely alone, except in the instances where SRG and SF units used them as HQ's or munitions dumps.

You are perfectly correct in saying that the people of Iraq don't want American soldiers there. But one thing that is equally clear to anyone who follows the news, is that, apart from his supporters within the Sunni area of the country, the people of Iraq most certainly do not want a return of Saddam Hussein and the Ba'athist Party.

Vietnam situation - far from it. The two cannot be compared for a whole raft of reasons.