"The bridge controls started going crazy.
These engines are beginning to show signs of stress.
The emergency bypass control of the matter anti-matter integrator is fused.
If we keep this speed we'll blow up any minute now.
Captain whatta we do?!"
While there are some that dislike Powell and say he is not hawkish enough or not a team player, in reality he doing EXACTLY what President Bush wants him to do. Powell is a loyal soldier and will do what his commander in chief wants. It is clear that there is a bit of good cop-bad cop going on. It's called strategery
Unless I am badly mistaken, President Bush has a breakfast meeting with Congressional leaders every Wednesday morning ..... in which case this one might not be any more significant than any of the others.
He also hinted that in due course Mr Bush would provide "documentation" proving that Saddam has access to weapons of mass destruction.
I do believe that this administration does indeed know something that hasn't put out for mass consumption. Say what you will about this President, I don't believe he is of the character which allows him to embark on such a campaign for mere political reasons, as some of our other "leaders" have done.
When Mr Rumsfeld said in San Diego that "it is less important to have unanimity than it is to be making the right decision and doing the right thing, even though at the outset it may seem lonesome", he was telling America's allies that their views were largely irrelevant.
This is a wonderful thing; it demonstrates a willingness to put America first. Even if the fruits of such policies are not apparent initially.
The White House is determined to avoid a protracted debate on arms inspectors. Mr Cheney's contention that their readmission would "provide false confidence that Saddam was somehow back in his box" underlined this.
We've been having a protracted debate on this issue. He lost the Gulf War, and yet even to this day still refuses to comply. For a reason.
The reason is that he has been very busy developing weapons of mass destruction, and intends to use them someday, whether it be literally using them, or using them as a blackmail tool.
His plan is to buy more time to put into place what he wants. He is counting on the weak resolve of his opponents in this regard.
I think it would take about three such inspections--particularly if well chosen--for Iraq to go into compliance mode. Alternatively, they could kick out the inspectors and face imminent invasion, but in that case more of our erstwhile allies might creep back on board. In this way we can neutralize Iraq while claiming to do everything "by the book", and at the same time move sufficient men and gear into the theater to take on Iran or Syria.
Probably a great deal. And it is especially important that we (in the large sense of that word) don't know. The fog of the many and apparently contradictory commentaries creating a great controversy, that had the press' attention over the past many weeks, could have pried that attention away from other preparations -- preparations that are much more important to the coming operations than the largely academic "debate".
I suspect that the Europeans, at least, are quite true to their appeasing positions, in which case they have been played as well.
It is important to remember that all this great controversy has been conducted in the absence of hard data. The hard data may have been the ace in the hole kept just to trump the "debate" once true preparations have been brought to near-completion. I suspect what is about to occur is the presentation of the hard data, information that has been in existence, but held in abeyance for just this moment.
"The bridge controls started going crazy.
These engines are beginning to show signs of stress.
The emergency bypass control of the matter anti-matter integrator is fused.
If we keep this speed we'll blow up any minute now.
Captain whatta we do?!"
One summer day the Little Red Hen found a grain of wheat.
"A grain of wheat!" said the Little Red Hen to herself. "I will plant it."
She asked the duck: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the duck.
She asked the goose: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the goose.
She asked the cat: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the cat.
She asked the pig: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will plant it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.
Soon the wheat grew tall, and the Little Red Hen knew it was time to reap it.
"Who will help me reap the wheat?" she asked.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will reap it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.
So she reaped the wheat, and it was ready to take to the mill to be made into flour.
"Who will help me carry the wheat to the mill?" she asked.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will carry it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.
So she carried the wheat to the mill and the miller made it into flour, and she carried the flour home.
When she got there, she asked, "Who will help me make the flour into dough?"
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will make the dough myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.
So she put on a white apron, and mixed the dough. Soon the bread was ready to go into the oven.
"Who will help me bake the bread?" said the Little Red Hen.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will bake it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.
After the loaf had been taken from the oven it was set on the table to cool.
"And now," said the Little Red Hen, "who will help me to eat the bread?"
"I will!" said the duck.
"I will!" said the goose.
"I will!" said the cat.
"I will!" said the pig.
"No, I will eat it myself!" said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.