Making the case should have been the US's primary objective, not projecting the image of a nation that would go it alone.

Maybe, except that we DID make the case. But those that reflexively oppose the US and those with strong greed interests in Iraq (*cough* French *cough*) chose to ignore that case.

Remember, under 1441 the burden of proof was on IRAQ! The inspectors were supposed to just be checking off the laundry list of WMD that Iraq was to provide. Inspection was never supposed to be about searching out items Iraq was trying to hide. It was Iraq's job to account for all the WMD that the UN *KNEW* they had back in '98 when the inspectors were ejected. Blix himself, in his last report, admitted they'd failed to do so.

If inspections WERE supposed to root things out, then they were doomed to failure. That nuclear inspector couldn't find the toes at the end of his foot. LAST time, he claimed there was no Iraqi nuclear weapons program, until a defector came out and said look at these specific locations and BAM! there it was, plain as day.

Does the rest of the world SERIOUSLY expect the US to have simply waited meekly until Saddam, either intentionally or through corruption of underlings, supplied someone with chem/bio weapons and *another* few thousand innocent Americans lay dead on American soil?? GET REAL! I drive past the Pentagon twice a day. We are TOTALLY within our rights to take actions we believe will prevent even greater disasters. (I suspect the reason Russia hasn't been more strongly opposed is due to that whole theater hostage thing. They know, even if they don't want to publically admit it, that we're right in trying to root out the Jihadists and fellow travelers/supporters.)

And, as a reminder, the Coalition's current actions are FULLY LEGITIMATE under 1441. We are enforcing a UN Security Council resolution. Current activity is exactly what the diplo-speak phrase "serious consequences" means! Further, under the UN Charter the Coalition's actions are legitimate under the provision for soverign nations to defend themselves. Those who believe Iraq posed no threat are terminally naive. I say 'terminally' because such naivete will eventually lead to someone's death. Probably a BUNCH of someones.

OK, enough venting for now. Steam pressure has returned to near normal... ;-)