The words in RED are those delivered by Dr. Hans Blix to the assembled Security Council of the United Nations on the 27th January 2003 Bobert

What in effect he is saying that they have agreed in principle to partially co-operate.

Letting the inspectors look where they wanted to amounts to a game of hide-and-seek and that is not what was demanded of the Iraqis under the terms of 1441 - Their Last Chance - well they got their last chance and they blew it by heeding the advice of the Russians, the Chinese and the French, and seriously underestimating the determination of the USA and the UK.

Was the war a mistake - HELL NO

Mr Burke - you didn't read that Guardian link did you.

Why did Saddam not use his undoubted and undeniable WMD capability in 1991 Paul? Because Saddam was probably given that hint that if he did so he along with the whole of Iraq would be destroyed. He also knew that in facing the opponents that he did he was looking at an army that had been trained to deal with and fight through a chemical or biological attack.

In Europe during the Cold War the Soviets and their Warsaw pact Allies were told in no uncertain terms that use of Chemical or Bacteriological Weapons as they were called in those days would result on an immediate counter-attack involving the use of tactical nuclear weapons. Neither the armed forces of the UK or the US had C&B weapons from 1956 & 1960 respectively. Not once in all the time I served in the RN did I ever come across any Chemical or Bacteriological munitions.