Inspections

The Iraqis say that the inspectors will have unfettered access to all sites. We shall see. I know that the press keeps saying they have agreed to unfettered inspections and the Iraqis publicly say that, but their letter “accepting” unfettered inspections did not say that.

And then there is this article, in which Iraqi presidential advisor Al-Saadi was asked whether Iraq would grant inspectors unfettered access to wherever the inspectors want to go. "Yes," he said, "as stipulated in the resolution and as we have agreed with them."

And as we have agreed with them? What the heck does that mean? To me, it sure sounds like they are saying very clearly that they accepted the UNSC resolution as the Iraqi modified it in their letter of “acceptance.” My guess is the Iraqis are not going to obstruct until they have to. After all, if the first ten sites Blix wants to visit really are harmless, why protest too much. Oh sure, protest and delay, but then let the inspectors in with an air of insulted dignity. But why stop them? Do that when an inspection team is heading straight for the cache of enriched uranium and not until then.

On another point, it is really torquing me off that the UNSC thinks that shooting at our planes is no big deal. Personally, I’d be tempted to tell Blix that it will be no big deal if the Iraqis want to perform a cavity search on him (with a big-knuckled guy) every time he wants to enter an Iraqi building. If we can’t have no-fly zones, neither can he.

On American mobilization, apparently we could mobilize with one day notice to our reservists. We may be set to go with the reservists we have already called up. Perhaps new reservists will only be needed to fill in for departing troops after they go, and for rotating into Iraq after the war is over. Or they could fill in for active duty troops that rotate in.

Our troops are training hard in Kuwait. Keep your eye on the ball…