Dogs of war are barking mad, but Shannon shouldn’t be their kennel

THE assurance from US Secretary of State Colin Powell must come as a major relief to the people of Iraq.

He promised that a US military occupation would hold Iraq's oilfields "in trust" for them which is rather like a Minister's driver telling you that he never broke the speed limit.

"Iraqi oil will be held in trust for the Iraqi people, to benefit the Iraqi people. That is a legal obligation that the occupying power will have," he said.