and I don't think Saddam coined the term "Mother of all...". My understanding isn't that it would be the beginning but rather the ending when the mother arrives. I guess I interpret it to mean that she's sent her minions up to now and, since they have not been successful, will show her own face. Perhaps we should argue the semantics of what you've asserted and, should it heat up enough, "mother" might arrive and put her foot down. Hmm..., where did the the expression "put one's foot down" originate? 
We've been hearing about "the mother of all [noun under discussion]" for too long. The phrase originated as a translation of Saddam Hussein's Arabic for "there will be a mother of battles" or "it will be the mother of battles" (if Bush doesn't back off, or whatever). The meaning is that the battle itself will be fierce to the extreme and, as a natural result of its fierceness, will spawn other battles, assumed to be equally fierce.
Got that? Now, let's write to all the news agencies, commanding their obedience!
Lee, go ahead and lock this thread. I don't handle contradiction well. /s/ Mr Monk
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