The first thing to understand is that Saddam BROKE THE CONDITIONS OF HIS SURRENDER in the first Gulf War. Thus, when he broke his surrender, the US was justified at any point in going to war against him.
Exactly. There was nothing preemptive about going into Iraq. The fact that we didn't go in several years earlier is simply due to the corrupt and completely incompetent bungling of the cowardly and self-serving Pres. Clintoon.