That theory about the Isreaeli dimension makes as much sense as any other I've heard Pete M. In which case was Saddam being particularlyu astute, or just lucky, when he blamed Isreael at the outset?

KimC, you say you are with Troll, but I thought Troll was fully recognising that there was no way of "finishing the job" ten years ago. You don't seem to have grasped that point. For the US and UK to have gone any further than they did would have been more like beginning the job. Apart from which, as has been pointed out, there was no mandate. For America to have any moral authority, it must honour international law - and tell Israel to come into line too, by observing the various UN resolutions it continues to flout.