And, Davin, here's an interesting and argumented essay concerning preemptive war!

In dealing with real, major evils and threats both to the United States and the world such as those once represented by the Soviet Union, China, and their allies, we have won not by waging preemptive war for “regime change” but by deterring opponents from aggression and relying on outliving them, proving the superiority of our own system, and ultimately inducing peaceful change. That is the real American way.

It would, for example, justify not only the Austro-German decision for preventive war on Serbia in 1914, condemned by most historians, but also a German attack on Russia and/or France as urged by some German generals on numerous occasions between 1888 and 1914. It would in fact justify almost any attack by any state on any other for almost any reason.

Carter's view.

It sounds like the world fears Bush more than Saddam: "Oderint dum metuant" or "let them hate as long as they fear".
A damaged reputation! I can't believe it will last years; I'm sure the nightmare won't last...

An article about rogue states.

Many conservatives claim those who don't want war behave like those who championed appeasement in 1938. However, the big difference is that Hitler was arming Germany and it was known to everybody ; Saddam is far less a threat to any nation.

In September 1938, when the Munich Agreement was signed, Hitler was making credible threats of an imminent attack against neighboring countries; Hussein, by contrast, hasn't lifted a finger against another nation since being routed in the Gulf War 12 years ago. While there's no doubt Hussein is the bad guy in this conflict, the truth is that he's not the one who's making the threats (other than a little posturing in response to our threats).

Yesterday, I saw (and read too) the interview of an Iraqi exiled who has lived in Belgium for the past 10 years. She does hope there will be a war and that she can return back to her country.
It was an interesting and emotional plea for war. The problem is of course Saddam.
I've heard if either OBL were found or Saddam left Iraq, there would be no war.
It's all about removing Saddam. But bombing thousands of iraqi women and children, is it the way to do that? Exiled are safe, away from their homeland. Of course they want Saddam gone, but doing it through war will kill too many innocents and , like OBL, Saddam might very well be able to leave the country ,unnoticed.

Raoul