CNN.com - Chirac braces troops for Iraq war

There is a lot of speculation on a brief remark when France has been very vocal about opposition to military force without Security Council approval.

In a New Year's address to France's armed forces on Tuesday, Chirac told troops: "To be ready for all eventualities is at the heart of the soldier's job that you've chosen.

"In particular, we have to be attentive to the manner in which the United Nations Security Council resolution 1441 is applied by Iraq."

It should be noted that this speculation started with the AP, which often has a conservative Republican agenda.