Excuse me Fionn, but these are your words aren't they:

"...the only failure of UNSCOM itself was its failure to find WMD."

If they are then the terms of reference of both UNSCOM and the organisation that assumed its role are highly relevant, and as previously advised, if you read them you will find that neither UNSCOM or UNMOVIC were ever directed to "find" anything in Iraq.

Also I do not believe that I have ever said that the move to invade Iraq was smart. What I have said is that on the best advice available at the time considering the circumstances I can see why certain decisions went the way they did and agree with them. There is I believe a difference in those stand points.

Did anyone lie to force the issue - No I don't believe they did

Members of both Chambers of Congress in the US and both Houses of Parliament in the UK were fully briefed, certain members being briefed in far greater detail than anyone on this forum at the time. In the immediate aftermath of 911 it was the House Secuity Committee in the US, NOT GWB or any member of his administration, who identified Iraq as posing the greatest threat to the United States of America and the interests of the United States of America and her Allies - That Fionn is a simple matter of public record. In this, their own independent evaluation, they were in total agreement with the combined security and intelligence agencies of the United States of America who had given GWB's predecessor exactly the same advice three years earlier.

IF and its a big IF the good Doctor, Hans Blix was indeed shown any disrespect it was richly deserved, because he failed to act to the full extent of his remit as was required of him. Resolution 1441 was Saddam and Iraq's "last chance", full unhindered co-operation and pro-active support was required on the part of the Ba'athist regime in Baghdad and even up to his last report to the Security Council Blix was still detailing patchy co-operation or lack of co-operation - It was Blix's job to demand it from Day 1.

Surveillance flights how many were made Fionn? None, they were forbidden by Saddam although required under the terms of 1441, what did Blix do about it - sweet FA. That was not what the man was there for, throughout he was weak, undecisive and unimposing. The whole world knew that the clock was ticking, Blix however was determined to dither, the United States of America under Bush wasn't and that message was given clearly and unequivocably from the outset.