Description of problem:
this problem relates to the redhat launch script of thunderbird:
/usr/bin/thunderbird

when issuing the command 
</usr/bin/thunderbird -compose
"to=mail@foo.net,subject=test&bcc=,body=test,attachment='bla1,bla2'">
everything works as expected if thunderbird is not already running.

However, when thunderbird is already running, the compose window will be
incorrectly filled out.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
thunderbird-2.0.0.9

How reproducible:
always

Additional info:
the following patch will fix this:
--------------
--- /usr/bin/thunderbird.org    2007-12-19 21:08:42.000000000 -0800
+++ /usr/bin/thunderbird        2007-12-19 21:17:11.000000000 -0800
@@ -79,12 +79,6 @@
     -compose)
         shift
-        if [ "${ALREADY_RUNNING}" -eq "1" ]; then
-            # remove 'mailto:' prefix
-            ARGS="`echo $@ | sed 's/^mailto://'`"
-            exec $MOZ_CLIENT_PROGRAM "mailto($ARGS)"
-        else
-            rm_shit
-            exec $MOZ_PROGRAM $MOZARGS -compose "$@"
-        fi
+        rm_shit
+        exec $MOZ_PROGRAM $MOZARGS -compose "$@"
         ;;
------------------
I have tested this patch with picasa and nautilus and it fixed my problems. 
The patch should work universally because there is no need to prevent the
creation of a new window when the compose window is a new window in any case. 

I haven't dug in deep, but I suspect that the /usr/bin/thunderbird script
contains a few legacy things. I wonder if a simple link to
/usr/lib(64)/thunderbird/thunderbird wouldn't do the job just fine without the
/usr/bin/thunderbird script?