Belatedly agreed. Once again, this seems to be a case where I need a
decent editor --- the assertion that "Iraq isn't currently threatening
anybody" is clearly wrong. What I meant to argue is that Iraq isn't
currently posing a threat to any of its neighbors' territorial
integrity; for that to happen, I expect the no-fly zones would have to
come off, and they'd probably have to replenish their army's stores as
well (remembering what happened to their undersupplied soldiers the
last time they tried to fight a war).
However, they still probably have some weapons of mass destruction
salted away. Those aren't a threat either, though --- not to the
Saudis, that is. Use of those weapons against another Arab population
would instantly forfeit him all the Arab sympathy which he's currently
using and banking on. Saddam didn't stay in power by making that kind
of mistake terribly often (though when he does, as I'm sure we recall,
it's a doozy). However, they certainly are a threat to non-Arabs in
the neighborhood --- point to Ron.
rst