...those who have been concerned with the tragedy of Iraq had three basic goals: (1) overthrowing the tyranny, (2) ending the sanctions that were targeting the people, not the rulers, and (3) preserving some semblance of world order.

There can be no disagreement among decent people on the first two goals: Achieving them is an occasion for rejoicing, particularly for those who protested U.S. support for Saddam and later opposed the murderous sanctions regime; they can therefore applaud without hypocrisy.

The second goal could surely have been achieved, and possibly the first as well, without undermining the third.

$64,000 question: how? France and the U.N. were hard against any military options under any circumstances. If you also rule out the sanctions, what the hell do you use to accomplish #1? Poisoning Saddam's cigars?

I dare say Chomsky doesn't have any better answer for this question than a lot of others of his ilk.

Of course, the concept of "undermining world order" relies on "world order" meaning "France, Germany, and the U.N."