Given the political position of the U.N., there was very little incentive to actually locate anything that might justify the coalition's allegations.

Well, their mandate was clear (Jeez! How many of us have a bunch of UN resolutions to tell us what our job is?). I guess that most or all members of the team took it seriously. Maybe you know better.

And few people seem to recall that the inspection process had apparently been thoroughly compromised by Iraq.

Well, the Saddam regime resisted the inspections, and interfered with them where they could. As to "thoroughly compromised", that sounds like a right-wing talking point.