> People who live with such incentives develop a talent for meeting them.
Yes, but this person wasn't captured by the U.S., he took the initiative. Did this person develop his own batch of WMD to please the U.S.? Did he also create false documents in order to please the U.S.? Doubtful.
>In The main issue is, will something good long term will come of this invasion, or will it further stoke the fires of bitterness, terrorism and general unrest in Iraq specifically and the mideast (indeed, the world) generally.
I suppose the "fires of bitterness...and general unrest" would have been better kept in check by a ruthless dictator.
>it would have been better to deal with the devil we knew, to slowly further strangle and constrict his power with a combination of bombing, no-fly zones, diplomacy, financial constraints, inspections and world pressure.
This is a huge fallacy the anti-war crowd would like others to believe.
1. "continuation of bombing, no-fly zones": Bombing what? Coalition aircraft only bombed AA sites that either locked onto or launched weapons against our aircraft. In no way did the no fly zones constrict Saddam's development of WMD, restrain his rule, or inhibit his ability to fund, harbor, or aid terrorists.
2. "diplomacy, financial constraints": Like the oil for food program? The program that lined the pockets of the regime? The program where aid didn't go to the people? The program Saddam cheated on by piping oil through Syria? The program the French, Germans, etc. fought to expand - more oil for more aid???
3. "inspections": Inspections? Do you really believe Saddam would have allowed inspections had there not been a credible threat of force? How many U.S. troops should we have permanently stationed in Kuwait in order to keep inspections going? Why wouldn't the "fires of bitterness" from Arab street been stoked by this long term presence?? Is there any evidence inspections (without full iraqi cooperation) would have worked?
4. "world pressure" - What world pressure? Talk is cheap, the UN proved this in resolution 1441. There is no "pressure" unless there are real consequences.
