Every civilized nation has WMDs.....however, every civilized nation doesn't use them on their own people.

If the "Leaker and Chief" cared about the United Nations, he would have appointed Michael Bolten when the Senate was in recess, not John Bolten.

That's what Rumsfeld may say but many other countries regularly violate U.N. rules and we do NOTHING.In fact,the Bush Administration displayed utter contempt for the U.N. and its rules by invading and bombing Iraq as a so-called pre-emptive measure.I think this seems extremely hypocritical.

UPDATE: Under terms of the ceasefire treaty in April, 1991, Saddam agreed to respect the no-fly zone in the north and to allow UN inspectors to have full and unfettered access to all facilities which could potentially be involved in the production of weapons. All responsibility for disclosure and verification was on Saddam, any violation of the spirit of the treaty would serve as justification for the re-commencement of hostilities toward Iraq. He signed the treaty and the Gulf War ended. The US didn't go into Iraq and take care of Saddam the way liberals all say it should have, utilizing 20/20 hindsight. When he expelled the inspectors in 1998, he violated the treaty. Pres. Clinton chose not to pursue the issue, and when inspectors were re-admitted in 2001, they did not have unfettered access, whether or not weapons were being produced. Bush did the math and, after the 9/11/01 alarm rang, the answer was pretty obvious. Saddam's remaining in complete defiance of the agreement and many, daily violations in the no-fly zone, including shots taken at US jets patrolling it, made the invasion of Iraq (something Senator Kerry and many, many liberals not only supported, but urged and defended) inevitable. C'mon, guys, try not to omit all of the history. If Saddam didn't want to be invaded, he should have provided Hans Blix and the other inspectors access. He misjudged (or misunderestimated) George Bush's will. He learned. I know, I know, Hans Blix was against the invasion, saying they needed more time to inspect. Bush made the call. Bush didn't ask him for something he didn't have, he demanded that the terms of the ceasefire be strictly complied with. ORIGINAL COMMENT (9/11/04): They did, but that's not the reason.

Not difficult to violate the rules when someone keeps asking you for something you haven't got and cannot produce.

It would be naive to say that this is the only reason Iraq was invaded.

We gave Iraq 11 years to stop violating the UN Charter, and they refused to listen!

Yes but that wasn't the reason why we invaded Iraq. Many nations are in violation of UN rules, why not go after them too? The motive isn't here.

Didn't Bush basically tell the UN to go wiz up a rope anyway? I wouldn't think their rules mean all that much to him.

Iraq didn't,Sadaam did!Oh by the way the security council voted 12-0 in favor of removing the tyrant Sadaam!

Well, it's true Iraq was violating some UN resolutions, but so does Israel. However, I doubt they are next.