This matters because the entire public debate about the Iraq war happened on completely fraudulent terms. It was based around the idea that the AUMF was a vote for diplomacy, that the UN and inspectors could somehow avert war. That was the "dove" side, anyway. The dirty fucking hippie side was that the whole thing was bullshit. But we were just a focus group. Then, of course, there was the Richard Cohen side.
The evidence he presented to the United Nations -- some of it circumstantial, some of it absolutely bone-chilling in its detail -- had to prove to anyone that Iraq not only hasn't accounted for its weapons of mass destruction but without a doubt still retains them. Only a fool -- or possibly a Frenchman -- could conclude otherwise.
Oddly I can't find that column on the WaPo site anymore.