The soft-spoken Hans Blix report indicated just how serious the Iraq situation is.

Hans Blix, the low-key United Nations chief weapons inspector, has told the U.N. Security Council that Iraq’s Saddam Hussein has failed to comply with much of the council’s direction. Before long, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is due to amplify the violation processes with substantial detail to make the case.

Last November, the U.N. council demanded, again, by a 15-0 vote, that Saddam disclose his most dangerous weaponry and disarm. The resolution said that if he did not, he would face “serious consequences.” That time seems nearer with each passing hour.

Blix is criticized often for being “too soft” in his touchy assignment. But his grim presentation to the council makes it clear that Iraq continues with its grand game of deception and has no intention of any honest disclosures about and destruction of dangerous equipment.

“Iraq appears not to have come to a genuine acceptance, not even today, of the disarmament which was demanded of it and which it needs to carry out to win the confidence of the world and live in peace,” Blix said.

Consider that Iraq has used every subterfuge possible to hide what it has been doing, is doing and might do. People, and nations, which expect Blix and Co. to uncover even a portion of the material that Saddam has had squirreled away are being terribly foolish. We can only hope Secretary Powell indeed has a smoking gun or two to bring the issue into sharp focus.

While some, both in America and elsewhere, contend that the United States, particularly president George W. Bush, are selfishly seeking to do away with Saddam for personal and political gain, the facts do not support that argument.

We must hope the new evidence is strong enough to convince people now sitting on the sidelines that they should ally with the United States and Britain if a war climate is necessary. No stone should be left unturned to convince the reluctant if an attack is necessary. Unfortunately, even if we have evidence, we will be vilified by many.

Ideally, of course, Saddam will see what lies ahead and abdicate. He could do the world a huge favor. But should he decide to stand fast in his terrorism and dominance, then he and the people with him will have to pay serious consequences.

When a “dove” such as Hans Blix paints a picture as gloomy as he has and evidence continues to mount that Saddam is in violation of U.N. edicts, we have to assume that probably the only route to take is to remove him by whatever means necessary.