February 03, 2003

Evidence against Iraq 'unmistakable'

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted there is unmistakable evidence that Iraq is failing to co-operate with United Nations weapons inspectors.
Mr Blair, who has already sent thousands of British troops to the Gulf in preparation for possible war, said the "final phase" of disarming Iraq had begun.

"Eight weeks have now passed since Saddam Hussein was given his final chance. The evidence of co-operation withheld is unmistakable," Mr Blair told British MPs, many of whom are unsure if war against Iraq can be justified.
[...]
However, on Monday a White House spokesman dismissed as "guesswork" reports that the US and Britain have agreed on a plan to limit UN weapons inspections in Iraq to no more than six more weeks.

President Bush "has not put a definitive period" of time by which the inspections must end, "so any reports to the contrary would not be based on anything substantive," said Ari Fleischer.

There you have it.
I'm hoping that Colin Powell's presentation to the UN on Wednesday will be a "doozey!"
Looks like Congress is getting pretty itchy to hear this horror story themselves:
Tommy Daschole, Senator Major Idiot Minority Leader, is leaking about it to the 4th Estate:
U.S. Lawmakers to Get Briefed on Iraq

The Bush administration will brief members of Congress on why it believes Iraq is hiding weapons of mass destruction a few hours before it gives its reasons to the United Nations on Wednesday, an aide to Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle said on Monday.

Daschle spokeswoman Ranit Schmelzer told reporters on Monday that the administration scheduled a breakfast briefing for Democratic and Republican Senate and House of Representatives leaders shortly before Secretary of State Colin Powell makes his mid-morning presentation to the United Nations in New York.

She said President Bush was to attend the briefing, but she was not sure who would give it. Chairmen and ranking members of key congressional committees also were expected to attend, she said.

Sounds pretty sobering and serious to me.
(Hope Tommy's people leak the rest!)