[bots]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

9/11 generated a burst of bloodthirsty patriotism in the USA that had been missing since the individualist, self-centric hippy 60s/70s and yuppie 80s. It restored an appetite for war that had been destroyed by Vietnam and was clearly missing in the first Gulf. It was well over a decade ago now and is still used as a key event to encourage flag-waving.

The US population would not have easily accepted "shock and awe" and the full scale invasion of Iraq without 9/11.

Saddam initiated his own destruction by his invasion of Kuwait, after that he was on borrowed time. The US very much had the appetite for war during the first gulf war with storming Norman. Their hands were tied then by the rules of that engagement, which were to free Kuwait. From that point forward they and the rest of the world waited on an opportunity to finish the job. We may have ended up going to war the second time under false/invisible evidence, but Saddam was the one who stood up and said he had the capability, and if you make such threats, you better be able to back it up or face the consequences.

So, really, 9/11 was an event with little significance with respect to iraq. He was just an asshole whose time had run out.