Peter K,

You asked me for information concerning Saddam Husein's support of terrorist organisations. As you have now found out for yourself, evidence of such support, spanning the entire period that Saddam was in power, exists. Are you suggesting, that it would have been advisable for the US to ignore that track record in their evaluation of whether, or not, Saddam would be likely to support such groups in the future?

How would you describe the UNSCOM inspection programme between December 1998 and September 2002? Up until such time that the US brought the matter before the Security Council of the United Nations, the fact of the matter was, that in that time no inspections had taken place and Iraq downright refused to allow any inspection team into the country. I think "completly foundered" covers it fairly accurately, I don't think that it would have needed any great decision by the UN to declare what was a blatantly obvious fact. The UN had failed once again, and the only reason the IAEA and UNMOVIC teams were allowed to go back to Iraq was due to pressure applied by the USA and the UK - another fact, one that even the good Dr. Blix has given both countries credit for.