Random Thoughts From Marybeth

Wisdom of Hans Blix

Blix questions terror intelligence

Speaking on Sunday (March 7), the former United Nations chief weapons inspector warned against reacting to fears rather than sound intelligence.

His comments come just days after Tony Blair warned of the "mortal danger" of not understanding the threat posed by a new breed of religious fundamentalist terrorists.

"I think we still over-estimate the danger of terror," Blix told BBC1's Breakfast with Frost programme.

"There are other things that are of equal, if not greater, magnitude, like the environmental global risks.

On March 9 Blix was in Barcelona, Spain where he received a peace prize, recognizing his efforts in trying to find a peaceful solution to the Iraq conflict from the United Nations Association of Spain. While there he commented on the U.S. and British governments.

"The governments were like the witch hunters of past centuries. They were so convinced that there were witches in Iraq that every black cat became proof of it."

"The tendency was to view any evidence in a more serious light than was the reality. It's clear that the Sept. 11 attack on the United States drove the analysis," he added.

One wonders what it will take before he thinks terrorism is a serious threat.