I understand that the Allies (primarily the USA) will be supplying Dr Blix with some more useful intelligence than the list of suspected sites he was given to begin with, which seemed to turn up empty (perhaps unsurprisingly).
I should be very surprised if the whole country has not been under very close surveillance for a long time.
If those 13,000 Chem Warheads are found, and are found to contain chemical agents, then it is over for Saddam, no question.
And if they have been moved, there will be evidence of it, because that is quite a large job. It is up to the allies to point Dr Blix at the right places.
Dr Blix's report was a mixed bag, but pointed to some serious shortcomings in cooperation by the Iraqis. However, access to specified sites and locations was granted, and granted promptly in all but one case.
It would be very telling indeed if that policy of prompt compliance changed when Dr Blix asks for access to locations pinpointed in the soon to be received intelligence material.
The inspectors should be assisted and allowed the time they need. At any point they can tell the Iraqi regime that they are unhappy with their cooperation, they are being obstructed, they feel they are not being shown all the documents etc. Then they can threaten to withdraw, and then they can withdraw. At that point it will be back to the UN and a Resolution for military action.
If that is not passed then I expect the UK and the US and anyone else who can be cajoled into assisting with materiel or money, will exercise the Kosovo option and start hostilities with Iraq under the auspices of NATO.
My current $0.02.
