Saddam Was Always the Plan

Why are we not surprised?

Remember all the talk last winter (from Bush, from Condi Rice, from Powell) that war with Iraq was not inevitable and that if it was, it was because of WMD and Saddam's role in 9-11 (since pretty thoroughly and repeatedly disproven)?

According to a CBS interview with Lesley Stahl, in a link I just saw at Buzzflash, the administration began planning Saddam's end within days of the inauguration of Bush 43... 8 months before the World Trade Center and Pentagon were attacked, long before we had any (missing) proof of continuing WMD, and a lot of rhetoric to the contrary.

Now, O'Neill is just one of a long list of people who have tendered this information.

But perhaps it's past time we listen and demand some accountability for a highly preventable conflict that's cost 500 US military lives and 22,000+ US casualties alone (not to mention untold numbers of civilians, journalists, coalition forces, and humanitarian aid folks).