Surprise...!

Jump, now! Come on, jump through the hoops!

I honestly can't believe the media is still all over these stories of chemical weapons in Iraq. In this one, detailing the capture of Iraqi arms monitor, Hussam Mohammed Amin, the L.A. Times repeated U.S. military hopes--uh, claims--about the latest "find."

U.S. Special Forces operating near the northern Iraqi town of Baiji late last week found more than a dozen 55-gallon drums full of chemicals and two mobile chemical labs in a field surrounded by surface-to-air missiles.

The 10th Cavalry Regiment was called in, and preliminary tests showed the presence of cyclosarin, a nerve agent, as well as a blister agent that may be mustard gas, military officials said.

U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charles Owens, a spokesman with the U.S. Central Command in Qatar, said that only field tests had been done and laboratory tests would be needed to make a final determination.

Some past chemical finds have turned out to be pesticides. But coalition forces are hoping Amin will help lead them to the so far elusive weapons that were one of the major stated reasons for attacking Iraq on March 20. [Emphasis mine.]

I'll bet they are!

When I read the story, I yawned and thought, What'll be this time? Creosote? Raid? Cleaning fluid?

Not far off. According to the AP, the substance turned out to be rocket fuel.

BAIJI, Iraq (AP) - A metal drum found in northern Iraq that initially tested positive for nerve and blister agents might instead contain rocket fuel, according to new tests, a U.S. chemical weapons expert said Monday.

Give it up, Bush! Or go out there and plant some evidence of your own....

AP story here. (Thanks, MyWay.)