Republic Background. Socrates says little about the nature or role of those in the cave who carry the artifacts (Republic 514c) that create the shadows on the wall, and the echoes of whose voices the prisoners mistake for the shadows' voices. Surely these carriers would know something of the effects their activities have on the prisoners; but Socrates says nothing about what their motives might be. Perhaps they are trying to create shadows "as close to the truth" as possible; or perhaps they are set on deceiving the prisoners for their (the carriers') mere amusement or personal gain.

Iraq Background. After the 1990 Gulf War the U.N. created a special international inspection unit to monitor Iraqi compliance with U.N. disarmament requirements. Scott Ritter, a former U.S. Intelligence Officer, headed the unit. After some seven years of escalating Iraqi intransigence and frequent refusal to allow inspections, U.N. reluctance to enforce the disarmament requirements, and probable CIA infiltration of the inspection process, Ritter resigned in 1998 and went public with vigorous criticisms of the whole process, claiming that Saddam Hussein was basically hoodwinking the United Nations, the United States, and the Iraqi people.