It does make sense. But its not isolated to GWB. The Clinton Administration was pretty much in the same game.

I think the US has done everything short of sending Dirty Harry to Baghdad with a message of "Go ahead Punk. Make My day."

Sadam can bluster all he wants. In fact to do so only serves the purpose of further marginalizing him as it shows his true weakness: He can't risk engaging the United States in another lopsided battle. It would mean the end of him and his reign of terror.

The Israelis know this as well. So the Palestinians really have no hope unless they decide to negotiate through peace instead of terror. Israel can pretty much do whatever it wants in the occupied territories and there is no one in the world who can stop them: Not even George W. Bush...There certainly aren’t any powers in the Muslim world coming to deliver the Palestinians to the Promised land...Least of all the blowhard Sadam Hussain. To do so would show the true futility of attacking the West.

So in short, Bush and Clinton Both sitting in the Oval Office pretty much adopted the same position with regard to Sadam: "Just give me a reason..."

Scott

P.S. Not to mention the positive Presidential pollitical fallout that would result from the elimination of the Beast.