Saddam Hussein is an evil ruler, no doubt about it. But that is not enough for a war. Other heads of state have been evil, including some who have been allies of the United States (including Saddam during Iraq's war with Iran). Iraq has weapons of mass destruction. But that is not enough for a war either. Many other nations have them, too, including U.S. allies, and including both Israel and ourselves. The question is what Saddam's evil portends for the world, whether there is an imminent and urgent threat from his weapons, and, of course, what response would be both effective and consistent with Christian ethics.
The only consistent commitment Saddam Hussein has shown has been to the preservation of his own power. Those who minimize his evil are morally irresponsible; those who underestimate his willingness to commit mass murder are making a serious mistake. But what's our best response? What action would protect lives in danger rather than threaten even more lives and potentially make things worse?
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