[elbucko]

The real reason for attacking the Iraqi regime always has been disconnected from its public rationale.

It certainly has. The real reason, IMHO, was to get rid of Hussein and the suicide bombers he was paying $25,000 per "Martyr" that were bringing Israel to its knees. With an unlimited supply of oil, Hussein had an unlimited supply of cash and therefore, unlimited homicide bombers. The only way for Israel to stop them was to target Baghdad with a nuclear strike.

Bush stepped up to the plate with conventional weapons and hit the ball out of the park.

The nuclear weapons we are interested in are in Israel. And we want them to stay there.

[Alberta's Child]

I'd like to believe that the scenario you've presented is true, but it probably isn't. Saddam Hussein's contribution to the terrorists in Israel is probably dwarfed by the contributions of almost every other Arab state in the Middle East.