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Saddam headed a terrorist regime. He was a terrorist, and so was his country, even before 9/11.

A terrorist to the Kurds and Sunnis in his country, absolutely. A personal funder of terror bombings in Israel? No doubt of it. A user of gas weapons against Iran (back when he was an ally of the U.S.)? Yep.

A 'gathering danger' to the U.S. because of WMD? Not so far as we can yet prove. But there was that airliner body that was at a paramilitary training camp. So we might yet make a strong case for a 9/11 connection to Saddam. I don't think Saddam's own airline ever had a problem with terrorism so he won't be able to say plausibly that that prop at a camp where known terrorists had trained was exactly innocent. He will have to explain that. We should focus more on it, I think.

I think that we'll have to justify the invasion by showing Saddam to be guilty of aiding and abetting and training some of the 9/11 terrorists or providing such training to Muslim extremists. I think we can make a good enough case for it.

The WMD thing is, internationlly speaking, a little weak no matter how we slice it. We need to stop standing upon such shaky ground if we can't produce some WMD.

My only hope is that the US declares war on militant Islam.

Me too. But let's not hold our breath.

A 'gathering danger' to the U.S. because of WMD? Not so far as we can yet prove.

I agree, it was a danger, but just as Syria was a danger, probably. However, he was still a terrorist, and the US declared war on all terrorists, no matter if they were having coffee in their house, or planning a terror attack. So it still applies, in my opinion.

But there was that airliner body that was at a paramilitary training camp. So we might yet make a strong case for a 9/11 connection to Saddam.

There might be a connection, true. However, in my opinion the US should not base its war solely on those responsible for 9/11, and I don't think it has.

I don't think Saddam's own airline ever had a problem with terrorism so he won't be able to say plausibly that that prop at a camp where known terrorists had trained was exactly innocent. He will have to explain that. We should focus more on it, I think.

I agree. I am not saying he didn't have anything to do with 9/11. I just think the war on these terrorists is not discrimnated against those responsible for 9/11, but also those who might be responsible for the next one.

I think that we'll have to justify the invasion by showing Saddam to be guilty of aiding and abetting and training some of the 9/11 terrorists or providing such training to Muslim extremists. I think we can make a good enough case for it.

I say that Bush should have made that case before the war. But now it will be a little tricky. However, the case, as you say, should be about how Iraq is a target on the war on terrorism and the fact the type of leadership and Iraq, which was similar in some ways to the Taliban in Afghanistan, led to such a group Al Queda taking refuge there sucessfully. The US must say that the kind of conditions in Iraq made it probable that such a dangerous group could plan attacks against America - not to say there weren't such groups with bases in Iraq (as the US found bases for terror, along with large quantities of suicide vests).

The WMD thing is, internationlly speaking, a little weak no matter how we slice it. We need to stop standing upon such shaky ground if we can't produce some WMD.

I agree. This WMD should have always been a second concern, not the main one.

If you have knowledge and material to make WMD....We may have to take you out if you have invaded,murdered,raped and pillaged your neighbor,gassed your own people,tortured amd maimed ,killed men women and children by the hundred thousands in your own country.

If you have broken a cease fire agreement with us and fired on our planes flying over your country to deter mass murder in some areas we will look at you hard.

If you have defied the UN resolutions for many years ,harbored terrorists and promoted terrorism in other countries,after we have been attacked by terrorists of another group,we may decide that you'd better be taken before you join in terror again.

We particularly don't want you to get stronger.It's time to show the terror bunch we aren't gonna take it any more.We are simply finishing a war that, before 911, didn't seem worth the awful expenditure.Some of your neighbors will be getting the message.