One of the defenses of many animals, when threatened, is to make themselves look more fearsome than they are--even those already dangerous. A cat will utilize muscles in its tail to make the hairs stand out, apparently enlarging it far beyond normal size. The porcupine fish will fill itself with water to greatly increase its apparent size to potential predators. The lethal hooded cobra, before it attacks, will expand to present a much larger enemy than the slender neck of a snake, even a toxic one.

Saddam is threatened. Many have observed that he's attempted to get large amounts of atropine with self injectors.

There's only one reason that he could want such a stockpile--as a prophylactic against nerve gas. There's a common inference from this that he has a significant arsenal of such, and intends to use it in the coming (and probably inevitable) campaign.

However, there's another interpretation.

He's simply puffing himself up like an adder or a porcupine fish, and hoping that it will dissuade his enemies from an attack. We should call his bluff, because if he has enough for it to be real, it will be eventually used not on just our military, but our women and children.

I came to the same conclusion, as you can see from this morning's post on my site. You'd have to think that any country that contemplates using (or facing) nerve agents has laid in a supply of atropine long ago. The timing of these orders really makes it look like propaganda.

And, by the way, why would a country that doesn't have such chemical weapons any more (right?) want atropine injectors? They're trying to have their Sarin and eat it, too.

Odd question, but why does a King Cobra feel the need to look scarier? How many animals won't recognize a 10 foot long snake as a threat.

A mongoose, for one...

Ugh, the thought of having to thrust a needle into my chest just freaks me out. But I suppose if someone handed it me and told me I'd just been exposed to toxic whatever, then I'd stab myself in a second.