Oh Amos, how remiss of me, I forgot to comment on the latter part of your post:

"These people called BS on the proposition of the Iraq war while Bush was busy implementing his Downing Street secret meetings, and massing troops on the Kuwaiti border. He chose to "Respectfully disagree" with those who saw plainly the horror he was dragging his nation into." - Amos

Ah yes Amos all those people objecting to America's actions with GWB at the tiller eh?? Shall we look at a few of the other things that Bush managed to busily implement Amos??

- GWB, unlike Clinton before him, took the matter to the UN didn't he Amos?

- What did Saddam do, as advised by Russia, France, China and Germany, Amos?? He delayed and blustered didn't he Amos, Saddam was told that America was bluffing and he believed his "friends" until GWB did what Amos?? You know the answer to this because you've already stated it - The US started assembling forces in the Arabian Gulf.

- GWB, did all the right things and made all the right noises to accomplish something that neither Clinton, nor the UN had been able to do for 5 years - What was that Amos?? You obviously forgot to mention it, or was it that all wrapped up in your prejudice and bias you just could not bring yourself to give the man credit for this accomplishment - He forced Saddam, in desperation, to invite the weapons inspectors back into Iraq.

As for the very last bit - that really is so laughable it is almost pathetic:

"I think SPaw's take on it, while impassioned, is a lot closer to the truth of the matter, for all your realpolitik bluster, than yours."

Of course you think Spaw's "take on it" is correct, no bloody wonder, guess what?? His "take on it" accords with your own. But if either of you can point out in any detail where I am wrong then I would be most surprised. Spaw's arguement and your own is based upon the misconception that it was the Bush administration who identified Iraq as the enemy and forced everything else through, but it wasn't, and unfortunately for your arguement what I am stating is a matter of public record - so much for "realpolitik bluster".

Hells teeth!! Clinton advised by damn near it exactly the same Intelligence and Security Agencies of the US gave a speech on 17th February, 1998 that could have been written for GWB in March 2003 - Again a simple matter of public record, recorded fact.