"I was under the impression that the reasons for invading Iraq were:
1) That Saddam Hussein had WMDs and was prepared to use them, and
2) That Iraq was linked to the 11 September attacks."



You obviously had the wrong impression. Perhaps you should have read beyond the headlines, into the quotes of statements rather than the editorial blurbs in large letters.

1- The stated point was that he had PROGRAMS that would lead to his having WMD in the near future, in violation of the UN resolutions.

2. Show me ANY statement of this. The statement was that Saddam , with WMD , posed a real threat. All on his own. 9/11 just made some people aware that some problems needed to be dealt with, not swept under the rug as the Clinton administration had.