Regarding the efficacy of weapons inspecting.

Factual Questions
1

If the weapons inspectors complete their search for WMDs and find nothing, with how much confidence will they be able to tell the UN that Iraq is indeed “clean.” If there are bunker’s hidden underground somewhere filled with WMDs will the UN equipment be able to detect “traces” above ground? Do they have equipment to cover large areas of remote lands outside Baghdad?

I can’t help but think that Saddam is not dumb enough to let the UN inspectors into a place where he’s hiding WMD’s unless it’s meant to act as a red herring to a larger, more important operation elsewhere.

2

Not to mention putting nukes in portable vechicles and moving them around. I’ve heard the country is about the size of Texas, so how can only 100 inspectors possibly be certain of anything in such a short period of time? I think giving their scientists and families santuary in the US in exchage for information is our best shot. (So to speak)

3

Surely someone has something to say on this?

4

It is not an effort to rid Saddam of WMD’s, it is an effort to find some peice of evidence that we can use to get him out of power

5

I agree, but that doesn’t answer the OP.

If SH really is building up weapons of mass destruction, I would think the odds of them being anywhere near the inspectors would be about the same as the odds of Jimmy Hoffa, Sr. coming out of retirement to market 55-gallon drums. It will, of course, be impossible to prove there are no WOMD. I suppose if SH really screws up, it could be proven that he has some.
RR