To the Point

More Time or War Time?

Yesterday, Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix said Iraq has not yet accepted the need to disarm its weapons of mass destruction. Today, the International Atomic Energy Agency-s Mohamed ElBaradei told CNN, -We are going to do our damn best to disarm Iraq through inspection,- voicing hope that Saddam Hussein would hear the message and come forward with evidence, so that Iraq could be disarmed without war. Meantime, as Russia warned that it could move closer to Washington if inspectors are hampered, the Bush administration considers declassifying intelligence it claims will prove Iraqi concealment of evidence. As the buildup continues, we weigh whether there is still a chance for peace in Iraq with a former weapons inspector, former US ambassador, and experts in national security from the Commonwealth and Claremont Institutes. Making News: Fighting Intensifies in Mountains of Afghanistan Military action is by no means over in Afghanistan. In the heaviest fighting since early last year, US and Afghan soldiers are battling a rebel force holed up in deep caves near the Southern border with Pakistan. Vanessa Gezari, following the story from Kabul for the Chicago Tribune, has more on the intensifying combat, efforts at reconstruction and the prospective timeline for US pullout from the region. Reporter's Notebook: Investors- Jitters over War in Iraq After picking up late last year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average continued to rise into January. In the past week, much of that gain has been lost. Yesterday, after Hans Blix criticized Iraq for not showing a willingness to disarm, the Dow sank below 8000 for the first time since last fall. Juli Nieman senior vice president and analyst with R.T. Jones Securities, says investors are acting on the financial and psychological threat of war in Iraq.