democracy flushing.

* a brit journo had a sit-down interview with Blinky:

"In which case, just assuming for a moment that Saddam had complied fully with the UN and all the conditions set out in Resolution 1441, how would the Bush administration have responded to that?

"Well, it's hard for me to speculate," he said. "Of course, had he complied with 1441, there would not have been a need for military force. But he didn't. And we knew during that period of time that he was deceiving."

At this point, the President referred me to the conclusions of the Iraq Survey Group which, he said, proved that Saddam was continuing to deceive the UN.

"And it turns out," he continued, "[Saddam] was using the oil-for-food programme as a way to influence folks in the hopes of ridding sanctions and hoping the world would turn its head. For what end? Well, the end, I think, would have been to reconstitute a weapons program. We all thought he had weapons. But, clearly, he had the means to make weapons, and the know-how. And we were convinced that he would have reconstituted that weapons programme."

and this:

"I like courage. I like clear thinkers, clear speakers, and people of courage."

opposites attract.

and:

"I found it odd that some members voted for 1441 - that was a tough resolution - and then when it came time to enforce 1441, there was a reluctance."

um, no.

and:

Despite the campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, the West still faces a number of long-standing security threats from countries such as Iran and Syria. What are the prospects of other countries joining America and Britain in prosecuting the global war on terrorism? "Don't forget Australia, and don't forget the contributions Japan makes," he said."

don't forget poland.

and:

""Ultimately, the best way to ensure that there is peace is for there to be democracy. And [Tony] gets that. He understands that. And that there's nothing better for democracy to flourish in the Middle East than to see examples of democracy flourishing."

democracy flushing.