I just wonder if this binary artillery shell, who's manufacture is rather sophisticated, isn't in fact a relic from the era when Sadam had a relatively unrestricted WMD program.
It certainly could be, and that's probably where the odds lie. (So I agree with Blix there; I don't think Blix's public reactions to this find are wrongheaded in that sense, just in other senses. ;) Due to this possibility it need not be evidence that Saddam had ongoing programs to produce such things. At minimum it is, however, an indication that he had not fully declared all of his banned materials to Blix. Which, to be honest, was something we had known anyway. (From Blix himself, in fact.)
An interesting angle coming out now is, as I have heard, that the shell was not marked as containing CW. This would be consistent with an explanation such as: the shells were originally produced (indeed, perhaps long ago) for more conventional use, modified at some point later on to contain the chemicals, but not marked this way so as to fool inspectors. Or something along those lines. What I'm trying to say is that there's a lot of room for gray in between "it's old, left over from pre 91" and "it's new therefore proof positive of ongoing programs". It could be an old shell, yet part of a new program, with new-ish chemicals stuffed inside of it somewhere along the way.... stay tuned, I'm sure we'll find out all the details (LOL). Best,