Posted 4:45 PM by Robert

Iraq Says It Agrees

Iraq has reportedly agreed to allow weapons inspectors back in "without conditions." The White House quickly dismissed the Iraqi move which does not include a promise to disclose or a disclosure of Iraq's prohibited weapons programs.

But even this partial result is odd, so very odd. We already know from the sophisticates at the New York Times and the like that the President's speech and recent strategy can't have had anything to do with the sudden Iraqi about-face. Maureen Dowd, for example, has provided the complete and utter explanation of why Mr. Bush's United Nation's speech was a complete waste and contained nothing new at all. ("There was no compelling new evidence. Mr. Bush offered only an unusually comprehensive version of the usual laundry list.")

So, since Bush had nothing to do with this, what could have been the cause? O, dear. O, dear. Maybe Ms. Dowd and the other Rainesians at the Times can enlighten us. It's all SO confusing.

But don't hold your breath waiting for a serious explanation from the Times. No. My guess is that the Liberal establishment, including the Times, will have their hands full arguing that this development is a big problem for the Bush Administration, which is committed to "regime change" in Iraq unless Iraq carries a serious and unlikely burden of demonstrating that all of its weapons of mass destruction capability has been eliminated. Yes, indeed - the Times will likely argue that Iraq isn't dissembling as the Administration says, or even partially capitulating, .... it's calling Bush's bluff!

O, dear, it's a terrible problem for the President, Iraq letting in those inspectors just as the United States and the rest of the world demanded for the entire Clinton Presidency. But, then again, perhaps New York Sen. Hillary Clinton will explain that the United States and the rest of the world really didn't want that, after all, just as she said Sunday morning that reports claiming her husband was offered a deal to extradite Osama bin Laden to the United States were false. [Thanks to Crooow Blog for this last doozy.]

And perhaps the Times will also argue that the election agenda can and will now get back to their cherished "domestic issues" - notwithstanding the huge amount of work and media coverage this development will entail. But if that turns out to be their line, you can't blame them for trying. They're entitled to dream and the Times IS a partisan broadsheet with water to carry, after all. It's not like we're talking about the paper of record or anything like that.

And, by total coincidence, another 21 suspected al Qaeda operatives have reportedly just been arrested in Singapore. Gee, if this recent progress against Iraq and al Qaeda keeps up, maybe the Times will begin to suspect that the United States is not only the world's only superpower - but it can whistle and walk at the same time, too!

Don't laugh. It could happen!