The Associated Press comedy story on Iraq

I understand there are roughly two and half million untranslated documents in the archive of Saddam regime material currently being released by the Pentagon. (Yes, you read that correctly, two and a half million.) Nevertheless, AP Special Correspondent Charles J. Hanley thinks he has the document story wrapped up:

Saddam’s regime extensively videotaped and audiotaped meetings and other events, both public and confidential. The dozen transcribed discussions about weapons inspections largely dealt with Iraq’s diplomatic strategies for getting the Security Council to confirm it had disarmed.

I see. Well, good.

Of course, I have no idea about Mr. Hanley’s Arabic skills and whether his conclusions are confirmed by the two and a half million other documents and media. [Maybe he’s a speed reader in Arabic.-ed. Been to Evelyn Woods, eh?] Meanwhile, I’m going to wait a bit and see how things go before drawing conclusions. I would remind Mr. Hanley how startled some people were when the actual KGB files on Alger Hiss, et al, were finally revealed decades after the fact. The egg on the face may not have as much time to settle this go round.