The Republican Guard, better-trained and equipped than the regular army, have had four of its divisions surrounding Baghdad and the other two in northern Iraq to oppose Kurdish insurgents. [Boston Globe]

And the head rat has spoken to the cat's media:

His country is surrounded by
one of the most lethal fighting forces ever assembled, yet in his first interview
with an American reporter in more than a decade, Saddam Hussein remains
defiant. Defiant - even in the face of an impending war that seems certain to end
his rule and, quite possibly, his life.

Dan Rather met him on Monday, in the oldest and largest presidential palace, at
a time when the U.N. arms inspectors have accused him of having prohibited
missiles. And at a moment when President Bush has said time has run out, that
the only thing Saddam can do to prevent war is to disarm immediately. Anything
short of that, the president says, is a game.

At this moment, the chief weapons inspector Hans Blix is preparing what could
be his final report to the U.N. In a matter of weeks, with or without international
support, the American and British forces could begin an all-out assault on
Baghdad.

Rather: Mr. President, do you expect to be attacked by an American-led
invasion?

Translator for Saddam Hussein: We hope that the attack will not take place. But
we are bracing ourselves to meet such an attack. To face it. You've been here
for a few days, you see how people live. They live normally, they get married,
they visit each other, but at the same time they hear the news. The officials in
America keep talking about attacking Iraq. And it's normal that the people
prepare themselves for such a possibility. At the same time they are praying to
Allah to stop the Americans from going through with it and to spare the Iraqis
from the harm that those on the bandwagon of evil want to inflict upon them.
[CBS News]

It may not be as soon as this weekend - I don't think Friendman's new moon
scenario is ging to eclipse political considerations, but action is very very close at hand.