Rant:
I am sooooooooo tired of people whining about the U.S. going to war with Iraq.
Enough already. Diplomacy has been going on for 12 years. 12. This is not something that has been happening for 5-6 months. There has already been 16 U.N. resolutions for Iraq to dismantle it's WMD. The U.N. inspectors have been working for 6 years, then were kicked out of Iraq. This is not a regime that is disarming. This is a regime that is blatantly ignoring the U.N.
France says give it more time - the inspectors have already been working on this for 6 1/2 years!!!! How much more fucking time are you going to give them?!
Look, as much as no one wants to admit it, the bottom line is that there are times when force is the only option. The people who say the President fails if this is not resolved by diplomacy: are you that naive, or that stupid? Ok, Mr smarty pants - how do you deal diplomatically with someone who will not make any concessions, and who's goal is to have the things and ideals that the U.N. will not allow? Diplomacy only works when both sides can agree to concessions. Saddam is not willing to give up anything. As much as you feel that the administration will fail, you have to face it - war is the final diplomatic tool.
The U.N. made the decree (notice the U.N. - not the U.S.) that Iraq is not to have any WMD. It's been 12 years and 16 resolutions. Saddam is making a mockery of the U.N. If the resolutions are not enforced, then the U.N. has no legitamacy. It might as well admit it's a farce and pack up it's bags. And Saddam knows this and is taking full advantage of the situation.
Stop your bitching - there is only so much Bush can do when dealing with a spoiled stubborn infant. Why don't you spend your time more creatively and come up with a plan?? And, please, don't go stupidy feeling that the inspectors need more time. Contrary to what you may think, the inspectors are not detectives. Their function is not to go root out what is there. Their function is to make sure that Iraq is properly and completely dismantling it's weapons. That's it. It does not take 6 1/2 years. Iraq says this is my list, and the inspectors say, we'll watch you dismantle it. The inspectors do not need more time - Iraq has already shown that it is not willing to divulge it's arsenal, and is not willing dismantle it. Giving Iraq more time is just letting Saddam sit and wait.
I'm not pro-war, nor am I pro-Bush, but I do realize that there are times when force is the only answer left, and any hesitation in using it shows weakness. Now, as much as I'd like to live in your utopian world where leaders are cognizant of their subjects, this is not yet the world we live in. Not everyone in this world shares your views, nor does everyone follow your utopian mindset. There exists rulers who don't care at all for it's subjects, and could care less what the U.N. says. Deal with it.