Of course, there's another side to the "UN with teeth": you have to cultivate a UN that can be trusted to use its teeth in the right causes. That's called diplomacy. It'd require a huge psychological campaign, coupled with the US (and their allies) acting in the world in accordance with the ideals they hold for their own citizens.

In other words: Lead and teach by example.

On your other point:

But I'm reminded of Justin's views:

1) It was a war to depose a dictator.

2) It was done for strategic advantage.

Probably true and just as unnerving imo.

I'll see those, and raise you one:

3) It was done because of tactical advantage.

In other words, having had the crap kicked out of them in Gulf I, then strangled (except for Saddam and his buddies) by the sanctions, the Iraqi Army was a relative pushover. Easy pickin's.

Too bad nobody listened to Bush I's reasons for stopping when he did...

"Strategic advantage" is easy to see. Forget the oil -- just look at a map. If everything had gone smoothly, there'd be a big, democratic, America-friendly country in a perfect position to spread that friendliness. If everything had gone smoothly...