Right on, to your conclusion, Whistle Stop. Well said!

I believe we stopped in Desert Storm because of the alliance and UN pressures to perform exactly what was specified and not a bit more. I would have risked world opinion, and kept pushing - but the previous Bush and his admin thought otherwise. They did put in place some very satisfactory restraints, however in lieu of toppling Sadam - ie the inspections and rules, but when the world alliance lost the will to hold Iraq to them, and the US allowed Sadam to slip back into his "same old used to be." THAT was disasterous in my estimation. Now we a chance to fix it, and that mean simply insisting that Iraq adheres to the original rules. I'd still love to see the Sadam crushed, but world opinion matters, and Arab world concerns about US involvment must be weighed. Sadam can be brought to obey even without being toppled - if not; he'll earn the consequences.

I gather there are other players on the terrorist side, but Israeli/Palestinian issue aside, they all seem to be on their best behaviour, at the moment. I do believe, though, that the Israeli/Palestinian is the heart of this issue. At least it is the wind that fills the sail.