Steve Den Beste has a new entry about Saddam Hussein’s announced military tactics and wonders what Saddam is trying to accomplish. Steve logically points out the military reasons why these tactics are worthless against a modern army. For those of you unfamiliar with Steve, he analyzes world events from an engineering perspective. This is usually a strength – but I don’t think it helps figure out Saddam Hussein. IMO, Saddam is simply trying to use the Western media as a fifth column to sap our nerves as dictators have done – quite successfully at times – for decades. He probably expects the Western press to use his statements as the basis for op-ed pieces which will claim that an invasion of Iraq will cause tens of thousands of US casualties. However, I don’t think it will work this time. For one reason, President Bush doesn’t care what the media says. For another reason, many folks in the media made this claim when the US went after the Taliban and looked quite ignorant when proven wrong. Like anyone else, people in the media don’t like to look foolish – so I expect Saddam’s words will only strike fear into the French government and some readers of the NY Times.

Speaking of the NT Times, there was an article today that reinforced my prediction that hostilities will commence by Washington’s birthday if Saddam is still in power. For my international readers, George Washington was born on February 22.