Ok, APPARENTLY!!!! You guys don't get it. When CLINTON was in office, Saddam was stated, by ALL Democrats, to be a threat........and sanctions were imposed on him, the same ones from post-Desert Storm. When BUSH was in office, these SAME SANCTIONS were imposed on him, yet he was not a threat. Again, tell me WHY Saddam was a threat DURING the Clinton Admin but NOT during the Bush Admin....... I'll be waiting. What "I" see is that the ONLY thing that changed is that a Republican is in office. Like I said, playing politics with national security.

You know, Kev. All of your ignorance could be solved by reading. Did you ever consider that, little buddy?

"Iraq: 1991-2003
Relations between the United States and Iraq remained tense following the Gulf War. The U.S. launched a missile attacked aimed at Iraq's intelligence headquarters in Baghdad June 26, 1993, citing evidence that Iraq had sponsored a plot to kill former President George Bush.

The UN placed a trade embargo on Iraq, blocking Iraqi oil exports. This caused immense hardship in Iraq and virtually destroyed the Iraqi economy and state infrastructure. Only smuggling across the Syrian border, and humanitarian aid kept Iraq from humanitarian crisis. Later, limited amounts of income from the United Nations oil-for-food program started flowing into Iraq. On December 9, 1996 the United Nations allowed Baghdad to begin selling limited amounts of oil for food and medicine.

U.S. officials continued to accuse Saddam of violating the terms of the Gulf War's cease fire, by developing weapons of mass destruction and other banned weaponry, and violating the UN-imposed sanctions and "no fly zones." Isolated military strikes by US and British forces continued on Iraq sporadically, the largest being Operation Desert Fox in 1998.

Western charges of Iraqi resistance to UN access to suspected weapons were the pretext for crises between 1997 and 1998, culminating in intensive U.S. and British missile strikes on Iraq, December 16-19, 1998. After two years of intermittent activity, U.S. and British warplanes struck harder at sites near Baghdad in February, 2001.

Saddam's support base of Tikriti tribesmen, family members, and other supporters was divided after the war, and in the following years, contributing to the regime's increasingly repressive and arbitrary nature. Domestic repression inside Iraq grew worse, and Saddam's sons, Uday Hussein and Qusay Hussein, became increasingly powerful and carried out a private reign of terror. They likely had a leading hand when, in August 1995, two of Saddam Hussein's sons-in-law, who held high positions in the Iraqi military, defected to Jordan. Both were killed after returning to Iraq the following February.

Iraqi cooperation with UN weapons inspection teams was intermittent throughout the 1990s. It now appears more likely that Iraq was playing a game of bluff, hoping to convince the Western powers and the other Arab states that Iraq was still a power to be reckoned with."

<a href='http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Saddam-Hussein' target='_blank'>Look! A whole article on Saddam, just for you!</a>

sanc·tion [ sngkshn ]
n.


Authoritative permission or approval that makes a course of action valid. See Synonyms at permission.

Support or encouragement, as from public opinion or established custom.

A consideration, influence, or principle that dictates an ethical choice.

a. A law or decree. b. The penalty for noncompliance specified in a law or decree.

A penalty, specified or in the form of moral pressure, that acts to ensure compliance or conformity.

A coercive measure adopted usually by several nations acting together against a nation violating international law.
tr.v. sanc·tioned, sanc·tion·ing, sanc·tions

To give official authorization or approval to: "The president, we are told, has sanctioned greed at the cost of compassion" (David Rankin).

To encourage or tolerate by indicating approval. See Synonyms at approve.

To penalize, especially for violating a moral principle or international law.


time [ tm ]
n.


a. A nonspatial continuum in which events occur in apparently irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future. b. An interval separating two points on this continuum; a duration: a long time since the last war; passed the time reading. c. A number, as of years, days, or minutes, representing such an interval: ran the course in a time just under four minutes. d. A similar number representing a specific point on this continuum, reckoned in hours and minutes: checked her watch and recorded the time, 6:17 A.M. e. A system by which such intervals are measured or such numbers are reckoned: solar time.

a. An interval, especially a span of years, marked by similar events, conditions, or phenomena; an era. Often used in the plural: hard times; a time of troubles. b. times The present with respect to prevailing conditions and trends: You must change with the times.

A suitable or opportune moment or season: a time for taking stock of one's life.

a. Periods or a period designated for a given activity: harvest time; time for bed. b. Periods or a period necessary or available for a given activity: I have no time for golf. c. A period at one's disposal: Do you have time for a chat?

An appointed or fated moment, especially of death or giving birth: He died before his time. Her time is near.

a. One of several instances: knocked three times; addressed Congress for the last time before retirement. b. times Used to indicate the number of instances by which something is multiplied or divided: This tree is three times taller than that one. My library is many times smaller than hers.

a. One's lifetime. b. One's period of greatest activity or engagement. c. A person's experience during a specific period or on a certain occasion: had a good time at the party.

a. A period of military service. b. A period of apprenticeship. c. Informal A prison sentence.


(Pronunciation Key)ef·fec·tive [ -fktv ]
adj.


a. Having an intended or expected effect. b. Producing a strong impression or response; striking: gave an effective performance as Othello.

Operative; in effect: The law is effective immediately.

Existing in fact; actual: a decline in the effective demand.

Prepared for use or action, especially in warfare.