Taking out Saddam Hussein is imperative because Iraq under his control presents huge dangers to its neighbors, the region, the world, and the United States
- Terrorism: Iraqi funds have flowed lavishly to everything from Al-Qaeda to Palestinian suicide terrorists.
- Oil and gas: Iraqi aggression threatens the steady supply of the world's most important region for the most important commodity.
- Attack nearby states: Saddam has invaded two neighbors (Iran, Kuwait) and launched missiles against two others (Saudi Arabia, Israel).
- Nuclear weapons: there is no prospect anywhere as terrifying as nukes in Saddam's hands.
Together, these dangers correctly prompted the Bush administration to action. In the president's words immediately after the war began, it is necessary to meet the Iraqi threat now, "with our Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marines, so that we do not have to meet it later with armies of fire fighters and police and doctors on the streets of our cities." And that's just one of several reasons for this act of pre-emption. (March 19, 2003)
