Best option for world peace (and prosperity) is for Saddam to agree to return of UN inspectors and 'give up' his arsenals ...
This won't happen ...
US (including all western nations states including Oz) cannot simply trust Saddam will hold and not sell/use weapons of mass destruction which will find themselves into many other parts of the world (Indonesia/Phillipines in our region) and thereby proliferate the terrorist threat.
With no succession instrument following removal of Saddam (like all good dictators he has liquidated all opposition ... had a bad dream and summarily dispatched a near relative awhile back) so the alternative is occupation of Iraq with UN sanctioned Military governor.
The Saudi rule is precarious and in danger of falling to fundamentalist Islamic factions and US/UN(?) occupation of Iraq will create the precedent of creating a US presence directly in the Middle East which by design will be permanent.
In other words, the US will attempt to create a military control and stronghold within Iraq which will be seen as war by 'infidels' against holy Islamic state.
The financial cost of this will be immense ... and later prove to be unaffordable ...
Military occupation of Iraq could be sufficient catalyst to topple Saudi rule ... and this possibility will create heightened tensions and possibility US may move militarily into Saudia Arabia to protect OIL interests ... this could include direct seizure of these resources ...
This situation would also see US 'eye-ball to eye-ball' with Iran ...
US presence in Iraq not a good idea ... but removal of Saddam's toys imperative.
At this point the DOW will be 5000.
Current media leaks concerning war plans equal to US 'sabre rattling' and hope Saddam will yield to UN inspectors returning to clean up his toys ...
This is the only real hope we have for peace and prosperity ... fingers crossed ... tight stops.
