The US declined many opportunities to avoid war with Iraq. So what? Sadam failed to meet the terms set by the U.S. The only thing I will really fault Pres. Bush on is that he beat the war drums against Iraq in public. After seeing the circus on CNN for 3 months, I knew war with Iraq was inevitable, short of Sadam and Co. hosting a global pay-per-view event of their self-immolation, Buddist style. Once one raises the stakes openly like Bush did, there is no turning back. Otherwise, one loses a hell of a lot of points in the international prestige scene.
Sadam was bluffing, Bush called him, after the last reraise in the hand, and Bush held aces over queens. Sadam's pair of 8's and Kings's just did not hold up. Sadam did bluff good enough to convince the CIA that he had WMD's, but one problem with intelligence is that you tend to find what you look for. Often you do not find what you looked for until after the fact.
The never ending WWII references to Iraq, are off line. Besides, if WWII was fought to preserve the 1918 border integrity of Poland, it was fought for naught. Last I remember, Russia still holds their Sept. 1939 Polish territorial acquisition. I'm sure Poles would like to see those lands returned. In fact, based upon Polish actions around, 1920-1922 or so, they'd like the return of Polish lands that once streched south to Odessa on the Black Sea, as far east as Kiev and Minsk (perhaps as far as Smloensk) and as far north as Riga. All countries have a 'manifest destiny', not all countries can enforce it.