[Fudd]

Once Saddam is gone, I just cannot see a down side on the long term.

But in the short term, every pro-pal terrorist will be looking for revenge, and every tin pot dictator will be trying to figure out how to strike at us without it being traced back to its source.

It's not that I flat-out think attacking Iraq is wrong, I just want to know that it will be worth the treasure and blood we will have to expend.

[alloysteel]

Spend some treasure and blood now to take out Saddam (we have already made the down payment) or spend a lot more later further down the road.

We already got our nose bloodied once. It makes no sense to wait until the other guy gets to land a second blow. Because then it will be brass knuckles to the temple and knee in the groin, and while we roll around writhing on the ground, sand in the eyes. "Fair fight" is not a concept that our opposition understands.