Saddam Hussein was directly responsible for violating the terms of the Gulf War cease-fire:
- shooting at US aircraft
- violating the no-fly zone
- screwing around with weapons inspectors.
Saddam Hussein was a huge threat to Israel (remember the scuds?)
Saddam Hussein had to go. The nation building stuff can be debated, but Saddam Hussein was the center of all the problems at the time.
The evil cancer in the White Hut needs to go, but I don't see anyone taking significant action to remove his ass.