Yeru I love you man but your rationale is comical.
The war was NOT illegal. As a resumption of the war Iraq started, resumed due to multiple violations of the Ceasefire agreement...it was not illegal internationally, and with the resolution of Congress authorizing the use of force it was not illegal constitutionally....your arguement holds NO water. If you think it was illegal...go to court.
This is merely your opinion, and NOT indisputable fact. The fact DOES remain however that the United States engaged in a preemptive strike (obviously going on the OFFENSIVE, anyone with any concept of offense and defense can see this) and attacked Iraq when Iraq had not as of yet attacked the United States. The primary justification for the war was that Iraq possessed WMD, as Simon brought out in link time and time again. Your deference to the justification being that Saddam was a cruel dictator is revisionism in light of the fact that after almost a year of control of the country, your precious coalition has found not one WMD. In fact, how amusing the Colin Powell goes before the UN with satellite imagery and recorded phone calls detailing how equipment is being moved from one place to another on specific days, yet the same intelligence with total control of the country can NOW find nothing. Would the United States be crying foul if some other big bad country attacked them preemptively just because they could? Damn skippy. Your perspective is just skewed because your an overpatriotic American in the military who will defend your country even when it is wrong. You say take it to court if you think it was illegal. Your sarcasm oozes of the United States which is that of the sole superpower which feels it can do as it pleases simply because it is the world bully.
As to Abu Abbas, yes, he was charged with the death of one American...and that's one too many...but he and his group are responsible for the deaths of scores if not hundreds of people internationally.
As opposed to the thousands of Iraqis who have died during this conflict waged under false pretenses? The Iraqi child spammed all over the television screen in recent months for losing his parents and both of his arms due to a misplaced coalition precision-bomb is but one example of thousands. I suppose you rationalize that as collateral damage however, and an unfortunate result of war. How convenient for you.
Do not get me wrong or misquote me, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator who deserved removal, I do agree with George W. Bush that he was a thug and that it is a relief to know that Iraqis will not be subject to more rape rooms and torture under his regime. But that does not account for the fact that the primary justification for the war was a lie? Acting based on the current premise, the United States should be engaging in preemptive military strikes on the countries of Yemen, Syria, Iran, and North Korea amidst others. Are they? Certainly not. Don't evade that point by saying a different strategy is necessary for North Korea. If Saddam possessed WMD and was capable of using them on the United States, North Korea possesses the same ability if not moreso and can raze the entire West Coast with ballistic missiles, so they should have been first in line.
I am not a pacifist, nor a radical leftist. If George W. Bush had come before America and said they were removing Saddam Hussein for being a vile dictator, and not for possessing WMD, his nation does not possess, I may have digested this war easier. Even then I would have opposed it however, for Saddam is no less cruel than other dictators in other lands, and the United States oversteps it's authority when assuming it is it's responsibility to govern the entire world stage. Hell, George W Bush is a cruel dictator going by those standards. He had executed more United States citizens under his watch while Governor of Texas than any other official in history. As it stands, I personally believe Paul O'Neill and that the Bush Administration had indeed been orchestrating this war pre 9/11. Not that I fault that, as Clinton did indeed sign the Iraqi Liberation Act, but lying about the reason for the war is an impeachable offense IMHO. If a blowjob can get you impeached, sending 500 U.S. soldiers to their death to fight a personal vendetta and lie and sending thousands of Iraqi civilians to their doom is impeachable, although I am sure being the Dubya supporter you are, you will disagree and concoct an excuse for him.
Just my 2 cent rant since everyone else feels they can voice their opinion.
(buys Yeru a beer even though we disagree completely on politics)