The real anomaly in the administration is Cheney. I consider Cheney a good friend; I've known him for 30 years. But Dick Cheney, I don't know anymore.

It is beyond dispute that Saddam Hussein is a menace.

We're in a hurry. Our domestic political clock is ticking, ... But you can't do this in a hurry-that's the dilemma.

My point was that removing Saddam should not have been our highest priority. Fighting terrorism should have been our number one concern, followed by the Palestinian peace process.

Saddam is a familiar dictatorial aggressor, with traditional goals for his aggression.

But the central point is that any campaign against Iraq, whatever the strategy, cost and risks, is certain to divert us for some indefinite period from our war on terrorism.