"According to the Administration, the presence of WMD were so obvious that representatives of the Adminstration had proof of their existence. Yet they couldn't wait for UN inspectors to uncover this obvious proof before the world. What is this if not impatience?"

Any impatience was due to of lack of will of the Iraqi regime to cooperate with the UN inspectors. No reasonable person thought that inspectors would be effective unless the Iraqi regime cooperated. The inspectors job was to verify not "search". If the Iraq had cooperated then it would take time to finish the process (South Africa took 2 years and that was with full cooperation by the South African govt).

"We were all primed to see these weapons deployed by Saddam's armed forces. I wonder if the Administration was surprised when they were not."

The US miltary thought there was a possiblity of WMD being used by the enemy. They sampled air and had soldiers wear protective clothing when they thought this possiblity was the highest for particular combat forces, and they dropped leafets warning Iraq of the consequences. I don't think the Adminstration was surprised, but rather it was relieved. Just as it was relieve that no terror attack occured when nation at second from highest level of alert (orange). If the miltary had assessed that a chance was say 5% of WMD being used, they would take steps to avoid this possiblity. The US military would also want the enemy to know that MWD would not be an effective miltary option- this could have an additional deterant effect. Not only would all these steps to deter the enemy & possibly lower US soldiers casualties, but also any civilian loses from the colateral damage from WMD.

"Did the Adminstration and the UN inspection team both state that the Iraqi scientists were being intimidated by Saddam's thugs, or did they not?"

Christ, where have you been? Even reporters (not even in Iraq) were intimidated. All Iraqi were intimidated, and considering the affect of terror tactics, some Iraqi are even at this point in time are intimidated.

"Did the President deliver an address last week in which he declared that Saddam's regime was no more, or did he not?"

Well, the ghost of Saddam's regime may reform like some movie vampire, but at this point in time Saddam regime is over.

"Did the Administration claim to have proximate knowledge of locations for the storage or production of WMD before the war, or did it not?"

I would suspect this is correct.

"Does the allied occupation force have in custody or know the whereabouts of any of the formerly intimidated scientists, or do they not? If yes, have they been able to obtain any updated, new and improved information that was formerly hidden out of fear, or have they not?"
The UN inspectors would probably have a better idea of where these people lived (but who knows if they are still living at that address).

"If the Administration repeats and repeats an assertion, this is considered "proof" by some parties; if anyone else seeks to keep those often-repeated claims in the public eye once they have lost their usefulness to the Administration, that is considered "harping" by the same parties. What is that if not a dismissal of the value of the original claim?"
I'm constantly surprised at how much people (for example people at this board or the news talking heads) fail to grasp the adminstration's postion. I can only say that the adminstration has failed to repeat it's position more than it has. I heard that one Dem Presidental candiate (Lieberman) had actual got what the adminstration position was and stated it fairly clearly at their recent debate. If he repeats it enough maybe he will get credit for "the idea".

[Don is simply harping.]

"The Administration crowed about WMD before, and used the sound of their crowing to justify war. They crowed to wake the world to the danger, so they shouldn't be surprised that we are awake and waiting for the danger to appear. They should be perched at the peak of the henhouse roof, continuing to crow about their search for WMD, unless they believe there won't be any to find."

Well I think adminstration should crow more about getting Iraq to the point of having a free and democratic govt- as that is something we want to focus on. But that's President call, perhaps focusing attention on the Palestine/Israel problem be a better focus. The President is stating it has high confidence that the WMD will be found- if and when reporters ask- of course, the president repeating something isn't regarded as "news" so you need to watch entire new conference to hear it.

"Personally, I think that any attempt to discover the truth in this matter is quite dangerous to people who oppose Mr. Bush politically, because it may prove he was correct. The only reason I can think of for the Administration and its supporters to oppose continued questions about WMD is the fear (or knowledge) that it was a sham in the first place, or fear that their guy will be seen, publicly, to have begun a course of military aggression based on a false assumption."

Well, I can't claim to be a Bush supporter- I didn't vote for him, I don't know if I will vote for him. Iraq's WMD is important. I wonder what some in the Left will say when "some" WMD are found. Are they going to drop it and move on? Are they going to complain it's not "enough"- then move on. Or are they going to continue to have real interest in this issue?

'"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Either way. There's no reason to be annoyed if you think you're correct about whom it will support.'

Don is harping- take that to the bank.