The alternative was not to plan on and launch an unprovoked, illegal war of aggression for very spurious reasons, and to lift the embargo, and to treat Iraq as a sovereign country despite the fact that they are not perfect and don't always do exactly what you would like them to do. That was the alternative. The events of 911 were falsely used (by default) to maneuver the American public into supporting a completely unnecessary war of aggression on Iraq, and I'm sure that Osama Bin Laden and the Saudis are quite pleased about it, since they both hated Saddam and the Baath Party with a passion.

But it all depends on your basic biases as to how you will see it. People filter information according to their prejudices, and ours just happen to be different, Gareth, that's all.

How am I preparing for war? Are you referring to the dachshunds perhaps? :-)

- LH