Others have mentioned a couple of good books to read, I'll just add the following for your consideration. I agree that both sides should talk more; however, whenever I've tried to have any discussion w a liberal, they keep telling me I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm lying, etc., etc. and will not even listed to my point of view(of course, most of them get all their news from the Seattle PI (or a similar liberal rag in their community or CNN). Sorry it's still early here and I'm on my 1st cup of coffee, so if I incorrectly listed anything, please correct - -I do not want to be accused of lying or misleading.1. Saddam used WMD against the Kurds and the Iranians
2. There was a Cease Fire at the end of the 1st Gulf War (this was not a Peace Treaty), which stated we would cease fire if he agreed to certain items (including UN insepctions).
3. There were approximately 17 UN resolutions over 10 years stating he needed to comply. The last one (which was approved by all the Security Council members said he must comply or face the consequences).
4. He kicked the UN inspectors out of Iraq in 1998-2001 (sorry don't remember the exact year).
5. He attacked our pilots in both the North and South fly zones almost daily (they had a right to be there as part of the Cease-Fire Agrmt).
6. He financed the homicide bombers in Israel - $25k to their family members.
7. All the intelligence agencies of the world (including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Russian, UK, US, etc., etc.) said he had WMD.
8. The last UN Chief Inspector (sorry, his name escapes me right now - the one that just came out of there said, while they didn't find WMD,
(a) he's not sure that they were not moved (possibly to Syria), and
(b) Saddam was just trying to bide his time and was working w the French, Chinese, etc. so that the sanctions would end and this inspector said he would have been much more dangerous in a couple of years as he was actively pursuing a nuclear program.9. I could be wrong, but I seem to recall reading that he was actually trying to buy yellocake from Africa (contrary to reports from Joe Wilson). Yellocake is used in nuclear weapons.
10. Clinton stated in 1998 that we were changing our policy to pre-emptive strikes and Kerry and all the other Dems agreed.
11. Clinton and most in Congress said in 1998 that Saddam and Iraq were threats and needed to be dealt with. And, they believed at that time he had WMD.
12. The Dems and Reps in Congress said the same as what is in #11 in 2001-2003 (don't remember the exact dates, but it was at least a couple of times during this period).
13. Ilwaqri (sp) is the most wanted terrorists in Iraq today. He is Al Queda, was injured in Afghanistan, and has been in Iraq for some time (was initially taken to one of the best hospitals). He would not have been allowed to do this without Saddam's approval.
14. There are reports of meetings of some of Saddam's men with Bin Laden's men.
15. Terrorist training camps were found in Iraq (including 1 with an airliner).
16. Americans have been attacked at home (WTC in 1993)and abroad - the barracks, embassies, the Cole, etc. over a number of years and we did little in retaliation. The terrorists kept getting bolder because we did little in response. We had to take some action or it would have kept getting worse.
17. Iraq is part of the greater WOT. We've been able to wipe out some of the terrorists, the training camps, and freeze a lot of their $s worldwide.
18. After 9-11 the Bush doctrine was that if you harbor a terrorist, fund a terrorist, you're as guilty as a terrorist (paraphrasing) and we'll come after you too (Clinton and the Dems seemed to approve of this
Thanks. It looked ok when I reviewed it, obviously, it wasn't :-(