[joeclarke]

Glad you brought up pre-war Germany in the context of this discussion. You know the more I think about it, the more I realize you're on to something here, pre-war Germany is a great analogy for Iraqnam:

(1) Pre-war Germany was the dominant industrial and military force on the face of the planet. - As is the US today.
(2) Pre-war Germany blamed many of it's woes on a specific group of people and saw that group of people as a significant threat to their lifestyle. As does the US today.
(3) Pre-war Germany believed in it's manifest destiny and entitlement to be the supreme leaders of the planet based somewhat on a platform of genetic superiority. Very similar to the treatises on US manifest destiny and foreign policy exemplified by Washington today - somewhat less the genetic component, but the basic premise of "got too full of themselves (ourselves)" is readily apparent in both scenarios.
(4) Pre-war Germany felt a (stated) need to invade Czechoslovakia due the supression of self-determination of the Sudenten Germans under the Czech "regime". These poor, poor Germans rights and freedoms were being supressed and abused by the Czechs, you see. Very similiar to the stated reasons for the US invasion of Iraq.
(5) Pre-war Germany really invaded Czechoslovakia to gain control of it's military industrial base. Very similar to the real reason the US invaded Iraq - to gain political certainty around the continued supply of crude oil.
(6) Pre-war German people rallied behind the premises and reasons for the progressively unspeakable acts of a charismatic leader. Very similar to the argument supporting the killing of thousands of Iraqis by US soldiers being sold to (and largely bought by) the US public today.

Good point Ronin, thanks for the analogy.