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Ever see the movie Dr. Strangelove? The Ruskies had the Doomsday weapon -- but hadn't got around to telling the world about it yet -- and therefore it didn't have the deterrent effect it was designed for.

If Saddam has sleeper cells with WMD distributed around the world, then he'd want to use this "doomsday" threat before hostilities are launched.

Plus it has to be a credible threat or it won't serve the purpose either.

I don't see how he could pull that off -- he'd practically have to demonstrate an actual use of WMD somewhere to prove credibility -- which would at the same time seal his fate in world opinion.

Saddam doesn't have that many deterrent options. At best he can order a post-assault revenge attack -- but that doesn't have to be publicly announced, since deterrent isn't its goal.

I would think that he wants to buy time right now (not to mention stay alive - "stayin' alive" now there's a new song for DFU), and what better way to do that then divide the enemy - or at least cause them to hesitate -

I really don't believe he will use these WMD first - unless it's through a surrogate like Al-Qaeda. He know's he's toast if he does.

But I also feel his arsenal will also serve as a deterrant to an offense against him. To borrow a line from Reagan, "Peace through strength."

>If Saddam has sleeper cells with WMD distributed around the world, then he'd want to use this "doomsday" threat before hostilities are launched.

He already sent his threat. It was in the form of a letter to Daschel, Gephardt and some media HQs. The FBI had trouble reading the return address and think Steven Hatfil sent it.