The fact is that Bush had every intention to invade regardless; an above blogger perhaps forgot that Bush had said that if Hussein stepped down he would NOT instigate war (gee- wonder if he were lying to us? ).

Certainly the 2 sons and other thugs could not remain as well, but bribing them all would probably have worked and saved so very many lives, not to mention that there would not have been the enormous escalation of terrorism, nor would the US have lost so many friends. The total amount of money that would have been spent would have virtually a drop in the bucket compared to what has been and will be spent. Whether it were Iraqi money they would have gotten or our giving it to these brutes, it would have in either case have saved a ton of money for both countries.

And, of course, the US along with other nations would have had to sit down in secret negotiations in order to mitigate the disorder that would obviously follow. The fact is, however, that if we didn't have to muscle our way in there, the hatred of us wouldn't have proliferated. It is even possible that it could have been done with an all-Muslim peace enforcement from varied nations.

Of course this takes judgment and genuine thinking predicated on knowledge of the pyschology of the peoples involved- qualities that the Bush administration
totally lacks.