Iraq: Welcome Back, Ritter?

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MacArthur had to wait years to fulfill his promise to return; for Scott Ritter the wait was only two months. The former Marine captain expelled by Saddam Hussein in January arrived back in Baghdad today to lead his UNSCOM inspection team, marking the first major test of Kofi Annans agreement.

"Ritter is being sent back because Annan has to prove that hes going to take a hard line with Iraq over weapons inspections, says TIMEs U.N. correspondent William Dowell. Baghdad expelled Ritter not simply because he was American, but because he headed up UNSCOMs attempts to expose Iraqs concealment and deception, explains Dowell. If the Iraqis let him back in to continue his work, its a show of good faith on their part. Of course, if Saddam decides once again to block Ritters efforts, the crisis will rewind to the (by now rather confusing) brink.