Even though I do wish some European countries could have seen past their narrow economic interests in opposing the war to liberate Iraq from Saddam's tyranical rule, the truth is that it didn't matter all that much in the end.

Saddam was toast the minute he stood up, alone among the world's heads of state, and applauded the Sep. 11 terrorist attacks.

That's really what did it, I believe. Despite all his demonstrable evils and the danger he poses to a civilized world, Saddam could have saved himself from a US led invasion if he had responded properly and sent positive signals of reform after Sep. 11 - as many others in the world did - but instead he stupidly signaled to the US and to the world that he was just as hellbent as ever on opposing America...and potentially posing a grave threat to America.

No one with Saddam's appalling track record could possibly be allowed to stand up and cheer on Sep. 12 and get away with it.