I would hope, and it is my belief, that the invasion and occupation of Iraq has stopped "pre-emptive strikes" as an acceptable foriegn policy...

And I agree with Little Hawk, the US military is now spread to thin to invade anyone else...

Other than these two "good things about the Iraq occupation" one would be hard pressed to find any others. The "Saddam was a bad man" chorus just doesn't rhyme. The only government that has ever worked in Iraq is structured very much like the Saddam government. Ask the Brits... They tried this almost a century ago...

Maybe, as a possible "good things about..." will be a recognition that the world is full of bad guys and that supporting a World Court and strengthening, rather than marginalizing the UN, is a better way of dealing with bad men...

Bobert