Mostly not true. For one thing, we knew that Saddam had used chemical weapons on both the Iranians and the Kurdish minorities in Iraq, and while his signaling turned out to be a bluff, his willingness was not in question. For another thing, most of the violence and death in Iraq was committed by Iraqis against Iraqis. Criminal negligence on the Bush Admin's side for not understanding the underlying and barely contained enmity between Shia and Sunni in Iraq, but given Saddam's track record of mass slaughter not unreasonable to want to see him gone.

The contrast between Iraq and Ukraine is stark. putin has demonstrated by word and deed that he doesn't consider Ukraine to be a nation, Ukrainians to be a nationality/ethnicity, and has shown a willingness to destroy Ukraine in order to possess it. The U.S., in contrast, tried to avoid civilian casualties and use the minimal force necessary for regime change. Foolishly, the Bush admin. bought exhortations from the Iraqi Kurds, who had established a relatively democratic government under our protection, that the other Iraqis wanted the same...a chance to rule themselves democratically once the dictator was gone.

They proved that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. putin is proving that both Satan and Hell can exist here and now.