Originally posted by BP:
it's irresponsible to try and pass saddam/iraq off as an expanding threat on the level of a hitler lead germany. there is no comparison.




I disagree. On a conventional level, perhaps it holds water, but Hussein had a demonstrated and long-standing desire to obtain nuclear weapons (never mind chem/bio), and whether his scientists built the things or he obtained them through another source, as long as he had a nation-state in which to hide activities, it was a tremendous risk.

Sure, for nukes we've got North Korea to contend with, and potentially Iran, but knocking down the Hussein regime most certainly gave those nations pause, and also most certainly led to Libya voluntarily putting an end to its own programs and embracing UN inspections. I think Iran's waffling between trying to continue its program and following the Libyan lead, myself, but even if they don't, we still have gotten a two-for-one elimination of hostile nations attempting to develop WMD.

"Think of it, if you like, as a librarian with a G-string under the tweed." Clarkson on the Mondeo.