A thought occurred to me while writing a previous post.

Let's assume GWB wants to "get" Saddam Hussein, and makes plans to do so. The reason is that Saddam has weapons of mass destruction, and would use them. This is to be a preemptive strike.

Another assumption is that Saddam does not want to be "got", and will resist, make it as expensive as possible for the "getting" party.

Let's say Saddam has inserted weaponized anthrax into a few thousand letters and packages around the US, and they will be mailed, all at once, if there are no instructions to the contrary. A Doomsday Machine.

Let's add this is a strain which cannot be traced.

In keeping with the intent of the Doomsday Machine, he has also notified the US government that he has them, and they will be mailed if Iraq is attacked.

The question is - as a President who wants Saddam very badly for various reasons, including the stated reason that he has WMD and would use them -

Do you tell the American people before your attack on Iraq?

Or do you act surprised?

If Saddam is as bad as he's said to be, why hasn't he mailed anthrax already?

What would stop him from doing it if attacked?

At that point would blowing Iraq to smithereens be a deterrent?

Would he have set up a situation where the only way for the US to avoid an attack with a WMD would be to leave him alone, instead of the conventional wisdom that the way to avoid an attack is to attack first?

I dunno.

Arf