It is obvious that the US hated Saddam, and he hated us. There should never be doubt on this given statement. The following statement; that Saddam
may have WMDs - that is another fact that most people around the world do not dispute. Then, it was apparent he had the means, and the motive!!! Conclusion: let us not wait until the SOB hands some bad stuff to the fanatic Islamists. That is the essence of the story. Yes we did not find WMDs, yes Iraq is worst off today than under Saddam, yes we lost 200 billion dollars and 800 brave soldiers, yes we are in quagmire in a hell hole infested with fanatic Islamists,...BUT, at least we eliminate the worry that he may have handed the nutcases some bad stuff that could have caused us more trouble.
My alternative action, if I was in charge is to kiss, and make up with Saddam! Provide him with arms, and money to take on Saudi Arabia, and Iran. Hence we don't get our hands dirty messing with Islam in this worthless area, and let him do it for us. It would have been even more effective if we even recruited for him Mubarak of Egypt, King Abdullah of Jordan, Qaddafi of Libya, and Algeria; all would have provided a semi-secular front against the fanatical Islamic front.