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"Seriously, do you really think that the ongoing preparations for the invasion of Iraq are about sending a signal? I thinks it's WAY too late for that." No, that's not what I said. The U.S. isn't interested in Iraqi behavior mod, unless that would involve an ovethrow of the Baath Party.

You may recall during the Gulf War Jordan left its border open to Iraq. The presence of U.S. troops signals to Iraqi dissidents and other Arab countries that won't happen again, that this time Saddam has no friends and we really are serious about a regime change. That should encourage dissidents to work with us and discourage any other Arab countries from being tempted to climb up on the scaffold with Saddam.

Understood. It is a little reported truth that the US FedGov has fairly low credibility as regards actually doing something about the local evil-doers in the past, and thus we suffer the hangover affect. Too much CIA crypto-behind-the-scenes plans gone awry and political indecision, to be sure. What did they call it in the Johnson administration: a "credibility gap"? I agree that setting up for the action we might take is a better move than simply saying that we might take action. FRegards, MTR.