I agree. Iraq is the lynchpin to the entire region. After we've defeated Iraq, we will be forced to occupy it for a while. Just picking up and leaving like we did last time isn't going to be an option. But that's good. Once we own Iraq, we can move buttloads of military in there and we'll have Iran in the nutcracker- US Forces staging out of Afghanistan and Iraq. Plus we'd be in a better position to be a menace to Syria from the sea (the Med) and Iraq's border.
We need to take Iraq and Saddam. The real nutters in Iran etc who haven't figured out yet that we're dead serious will wake up and smell the coffee then.