>Your points seem to me much like technicalities.
>In law, as I understand it, technicalities can be used to free a person, but not to convict a person.

You can dismiss 500 gas shells as technicalities if you like. It only takes one to really ruin your day, though.

>Seems to me that even if Saddam had stated bluntly that he fully intended to resume production of WMD after lifting of sanctions, he likely didn't have the means to do it.

That doesn't matter. He was the single man in charge, and if he wanted to resume making weapons it would have been done. Or at least attempted. It's not like he would have to have a budget approved, environmental impact studies commissioned, hearings held...

>One final thought... I wonder if those musty old gas weapons had a "made in the USA" label on them.

If I was in a foul mood I'd say that was an insult. Not only do I believe that we are proscribed by law from selling chemical weapons abroad, but the technology for something like mustard gas is amazingly simple. Why would we take the risk of making and transporting them ourselves? Selling/transfering the plans would be much easier, and less traceable.