But lately, the career diplomat says, the war is seldom what people want to speak to him about.

These days, rather than being the man who publicly challenged Saddam to execute him, Wilson's the man who publicly challenged President Bush's contention that Saddam had tried to purchase nuclear material in Africa. The latter denouncement was the spark in a political and media fire that has resulted in the outing of his wife, Valerie Plame, as an undercover CIA agent and the indictment of an aide to Vice President Dick Cheney.

"Iraq," Wilson said, "has gotten lost in all this."

Wilson, a part-time Utahn, will speak Sunday at the Salt Lake City Library, the first guest in KCPW radio's new series of speaker engagements.

Though he doesn't mind speaking of the so-called "Plame Affair" - his recent book is, after all, subtitled Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity - Wilson said he would rather contribute to the discussion on how to get U.S. forces out of Iraq.

And he feels that discussion is lacking in historical insight.

"Historically, Iraq believes nations act in their own interests and there's not a lot of altruism in the decisions being made," Wilson told The Salt Lake Tribune. "There's not a lot of room in that calculation for belief and trust and confidence."

Wilson thinks the Shiite majority in Iraq "puts up with us" because U.S. forces are helping to kill many Sunnis on their behalf. The U.S. military is now pushing to arm Sunni police officers and military units. And American forces have recently intervened on behalf of Sunni detainees allegedly tortured by Shiite government officials.

Under such conditions, Wilson is not sure how long Iraq's Shiite population will maintain its tolerance of the U.S. help.

"One of the things I really fear going forward is that ultimately we will be put in a situation where we have to fight our way out of Iraq," he said.

Cognizant that an immediate withdrawal of all American troops is unlikely, Wilson said he would prefer to see U.S. forces used in more sparing fashion and "a concert of nations," particularly Muslim nations, aiding not in the occupation but in helping to garner compromise and concession from Iraq's political, social and religious factions.

mlaplante@sltrtib.com

If you go

Seating for Joseph Wilson's talk Sunday at the Salt Lake City Library will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Admission is free, with seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. The talk will also be broadcast live on KCPW, 88.3 FM, 105.3 FM and 1010 AM.