I don't get why you guys all rip on Bush so much. This is his first term as president... do you think he'd really do this (go to war) if it wasn't the best option?

No. But I believe that he thinks or has been led to think that this is the best option based not on the idea that Iraq is in violation of UN accords or that Hussein is a megalomaniacal dictator with a long-standing history of human rights violations, but that installing a friendly government in Iraq will be to the best interests of America, the rest of the world be damned.

Not only do I think that this sort of manifest destiny style thinking is morally aberrant, I think it's practically wrong, as it will bring down more violence upon our heads. Bin Laden has pretty much stated that the reasons that al Qaeda attacked the US was because of this very thing (mostly military bases in Saudi Arabia).

So I think that he thinks that it is the best option, but I completely disagree. In addition, his dissimilation to the world and the American public is hardly cause to gather 'round. As to it being his first term, he only gets two, so he has to be quick.

Remember the Sudentland when Chamberlien came back saying "peace in our time"? Boy was that a flop.

That's Sudetenland and Chamberlain.

Remember when Iraq invaded Kuwait and the UN, including the US, went and stopped him? Boy, was that a flop. (Apparently.)

My point is that we already did to Iraq what Chamberlain avoided doing to Germany. So I don't see the parallel.

I can guarantee that if we set the clocks back to September 12th, we'd be going to war with Iraq in a heartbeat, and no one would disagree.

I would, as there was no evidence then and there's no evidence now that Iraq had anything to do with that attack. At the time, I found myself surprised to be well impressed with Bush's reasoned attack against Afghanistan. Evidence was there; it wasn't forced or rushed. All of which goes to cast more doubt on the current affair. If he was able to come up with convincing and damning evidence then, why is he unable to do so now?