[kattracks]

The fact is that if Saddam has these weapons he will threaten to use them sooner or later. If he decides, once he attains nuclear arms, to invade another of his neighboring countries, and the US intervenes, he will use everything at his disposal at that time.

It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when, imo.

We can either attack him now, on our terms, or later, on his.

[piasa]

And what's more... a nutjob like him is not going to be particular about who he gives the weapons to.

I for one don't like the idea of trying to 'contain' him... we 'contained' states throughout the cold war and all we did was prolong the misery for the people while simultaneously letting the problem get too big to deal with, to the point that we're effectively blackmailed.

[aristeides]

We can either attack him now, on our terms, or later, on his.

Well, yes, I suppose, if he survives. But something could happen to him.

[Wolfstar]

We can either attack him now, on our terms, or later, on his.

Exactly the President's point, although why some (notably Leftists/Dems) refuse to get it is beyond me. Politics aside, they and their families are just as vulnerable as the rest of us to use of WMD by nutcases like Saddam and any radical Islamists he decides to use as agents.