Hindsight is 20/20. Bush Sr. did exactly what he planned to do as part of an international coalition, liberate Kuwait. The U.S. had no sanction to act beyond this objective. The task wasn't easy. To liberate Kuwait without angering the Arab nations who may respect the U.S. but the have little reason for trust. This is why there were many nations involved, not just the United States.
Even 10 years after, you can read the accounts and opinions from the generals that accomplished the objective. You won't find many (if any) that would agree that pushing into Baghdad would have been the right thing to do.
Please explain, Eagler. What does a SAM launch at a U.S. spy plane have to do with ICBM threats and ABM treaties? Is it simply because it proves that Iraq is not just a roque nation, it's a hostile one. As hostile as any country can be after a decade of being under the military thumb of foreign governments.
The sanctions have not worked. Hussein still holds the palace and has worked it to the point where the U.S. is considered by more than a few to be the bad guy responsible for the deaths of innocent Iraqi citizens. Sure, if Bush would have forced the issue all the way to Baghdad, we would not have our planes being shot at. Of course, we would probably not be there at all today, but it's foolish to think that the removal of one man can bring stability to southwest Asia.
