CarolC,

I think that the current US Administration made it abundantly clear to everyone exactly what line they would take if Saddam Hussein did not fully comply with the stipulations required of it under the terms of UNSC 1441.

No nation state should relinquish it's right to act when faced with a potential threat. Judging by it past performance, no nation state should ever relinquish that right to the UN.

The US had received information from the Russians regarding Saddam Hussein's intentions post 9/11. The best way to counter those aims was to ensure that Iraq disarm itself and rid itself of all WMD in its possession and to verify that all programmes aimed at acquiring and developing WMD were shut down.

The US did go to the UN to try and accomplish that. After five months, in which time, not once did either Blix, or AlBaradei, report that they were receiving the full, pro-active co-operation on the part of the Iraq regime (required from day 1 in accordance with 1441), all the indications were that Saddam fully believed that he could hinder the UNMOVIC inspections as successfully as he had previously thwarted the efforts of UNSCOM.

1441 gave Saddam one last chance that is what was declared by the UN. The UN however showed that it lacked the will and resolve to enforce what was required under the terms of 1441 and the US along with it's coalition partners acted as they said they would do. IMO, they were fully justified and right to do so.