Reply #49: Not many did believe Saddam would comply. Even some who voted 'no' didn't [View All]

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Bush never intended to get tied down with the U.N. past 1441. The IWR and the subsequent foray by Blix were mere bumps in Bush's road to war. 1441 was still relevant. Many who voted against the resolution also believed that Saddam should be held to account through the U.N. backed by the threat of U.S. force.

I don't believe that anything that the Democratic minority in Congress could manage would have long diverted Bush from his ambition to deploy forces without substantial changes in the War Power's Act,which decades of presidents have used to commit forces for up to 60 days without congressional approval. The resolution was seen by some as a shot at stifling his manufactured mandate by putting inspectors on the ground. Bush pushed past that.