Re 1: Saddam's army was never considered a threat to the US by anyone who supports the war that I have heard. Please tell me how you think they could have transported a large army here. The theat of his army was to his neighbors as he has demonstrated several times. The threat to us was supplying WMD to terrorists which in cased you missed it have been able to infiltrate the US in small but devastating numbers.

Re 2: They probably didn't use them because:
A) They are no tactical use against forces prepared for them.
B) Those charged with using them have been clearly notified they will pay if they do.
C) Those charged with using them probably didn't want to put their life on the line for
Saddam in light of 1 & 2.

Note: WMD would be far more effective as a weapon of terror than against prepared
troups.

RE 3: I agree the jury is out there, but camps were found in Saddam's area as well as the Kurds. I think it is a matter of common sense that two groups who have shown a willingness to use whatever means necessary to acheive their goals would help each other on a common objective if the circumstances warranted it. It is something far to likely to blindly wait for conclusive evidence for. This wait for absolute proof position is what lead to 911. The only way to prevent another is to take a more proactive stance. We shpould be on guard against any group with enmity towards the US with the potential to help terrorists. We have to guard against the anti-war concern of increasing enmity resulting from proactive actions, by doing our best to minimize the damage it causes and helping to minimize the long term impact of it.

RE 4: I share your concerns about the cost and after effect. The cost may well be less than 75 billion for the war if it is indeed over soon. That cost was more of a worst case or second worst case estimate. It is certainly not a forgone conclusion that Iraq will become a beacon of democracy. However, please tell me if you see any more lilkely candidate to become a beacon of arab democracy than a freed Iraq.

Regards,
Mark