Bolton's consistently hawkish interpretation of ambiguous intelligence helped convince the Bush Baby that an invasion, and a regime change, was necessary. Now, this probably would have happened anyway, because Cheney and Rumsfeld felt an American puppet state and military presence in the keystone state of the middle east would serve to reassure our allies and intimidate our enemies. And as Cheney pointed out, Iraqi oil would pay the bills for the invasion and occupation so no war taxes would have to be levied.( You know how squeamish Republicans feel about taxes). That's right, this had nothing to do with a preemptive strike against WMDs. It was classic Geopolitik, pure Imperialism, naked aggression carried out for strategic, military and economic motives.

"Occupy the single strongest and most aggressive Arab state, one already crippled, surrounded and thoroughly surveilled due to the first Gulf War. The Clash of Civilizations will be nipped in the bud."

Saddam was feared by his neighbors and despised by his own people, and his country bordered, and offered quick access to, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi, Syria, and Turkey. And, unlike Afghanistan, the invasion could be supplied by sea and supported by the Navy. It was all Map Reading 101.

What could possibly go wrong?