SNIP
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>Why do we need to permit mushroom clouds to appear over our cities before we decide to defend ourselves? Hussein got his bluff called. Personally, I think we should do the same to North Korea, so be glad I'm not in charge. Threaten me in my house, I reserve the right to defend me and my family.

Honestly, that's way way overboard. But I'm surprised at how many Americans (of the U.S. variety) buy that line. It shows clearly the power of propaganda.

Every other country in the world has it right - the terrorists pose no threat to the government and so will be dealt with by the usual means.

Essentially your stand is 'it's OK for me (the U.S.) to threaten you because you might someday threaten me'.
Even though Saddam might have liked the idea of the world thinking he had WMDs, he was NO THREAT TO THE U.S. None whatsoever!
And of course we'll have to overlook the FACT that his "bluff" (that the world thought he had WMD when he himself knew otherwise) was fully exposed by the U.N. inspectors who had free reign to go anywhere and found nothing. They were evacuated before finishing simply to leave doubt that WMD could still be there.

While I am in agreement that the job started must be finished (Iraq must be left in better political and physical shape than when war started), there's no doubt that going into Iraq was a fool's mission. The fools who undertook it have proven their stupidity to the highest degree, yet President Bush keeps them around.

cheers