Believe it or not, I’ve been contacted by the government to help plant WMDs there. We plan to secretly ship to Iraq hundreds of metal drums full of excess Straight Dope Vitriol. 
And you were contacted as the best source?
Just for the sake of clarity - when I derided the use of the word “believe” it was directed entirely at the authors of these wretched events. The Bushistas, if you will. I did not mean to imply that I was deriding your use of the word. Just as you say, you were paraphrasing. Quite so.
As Eugene V. Debs is my witness, I am honestly concerned with trying to understand how those people think. Do they really know such and such exists, or do they just believe. If the level of evidence they seemed to accept in the case of the forged uranium sales is any indication, I have good reason to be concerned. Are they mendacious, misinformed or not very bright?
At any rate, I wasn’t dissin’ you, dog. I’d probably feel safer with you for President than him. Which speaks volumes.
Peace.
Well, of course it would.
Having just watched the Wolfowitz question again on the late-night repeat of “Meet The Press”, this is the exchange:
Tim Russert: “Do you still believe that Weapons of Mass Destruction will be found in Iraq?”
Wolfowitz: “Let me put it this way: I have never seen the intelligence communities as unified on an opinion as this.”
Sam, your quote could mean anything. The intelligence communites could be unified in opinion on:
a) they’re there
b) they might be there
c) they might not be there
d) they’re not there
e) you name it.
Here’s one that’s a bit more concrete: US confident of finding banned weapons
Perhaps they have been found?
Perhaps they haven’t.
**OK, I’ll take your word for it. (Hey, wait a minute! Is that “Which speaks volumes” part a dig?)
And peace to you as well.