"… there are people in this administration who say they don't care if the UN sinks under the East river, and other crude things…"

“He's as reliable as a Volvo.”

“I have my detractors in Washington. There are bastards who spread things around, of course, who planted nasty things in the media.”

“Personally, Mr. Blix is amiable and has a sense of humor; politically he is weak and easily fooled. I can think of few European officials less suitable for a showdown with Saddam. Indeed, it is with utter disbelief that I watch television news about Mr. Blix's negotiations with the Iraqi dictator's henchmen. Regardless of how this crisis develops from this point, the United Nations has neglected its duties by asking a wimp to lead the inspectors who are supposed to stand up to the brute of Baghdad.”

“I found it peculiar that those who wanted to take military action could — with 100 per cent certainty — know that the weapons existed and turn out to have zero knowledge of where they were.”

“There was a very consistent creation of a virtual reality, and eventually it collided with our old-fashioned, ordinary reality.”

“It was to do with information management. The intention was to dramatise it.”