ABJ: Are Americans safer with Saddam in custody?

Akron Beacon Journal "Wednesday Question". Damn the 30 day rule. I had to blow mine on the "Reagan Dime" issue, and "Is America safer" comes up.

Check it out. Feel free to post your missives.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/editorial/7510667.htm

That's what Saddam is. Nice to have, absolutely insane to have at the price.

Oh, and guess who's paying?


These polls are a travesty. Saddam's capture comes at a great price in dollars, lives, policy and international politics. Would all of the resources expended to apprehend Saddam have been MORE EFFECTIVE in making Americans safer if used differently?

Saddam was a minor threat at best, with no proven stocks of WMD or ties to 9/11 and al Queda.

The capture of Saddam Hussein is a $5,000 Ice Cream Cone. Everyone would
agree that it's a great treat - and absolutely insane to have at the
price. Saddam was a minor threat to the US at best, with no proven
stocks of WMD or ties to 9/11 and al Queda. Years of sanctions and
bombing had reduced him to little more than the "Mayor of Baghdad." We
have seen our own government back down from claims that Iraq possessed
WMDs to claims that they had active "programs to produce WMDs", and
finally to the "desire to restart their WMD programs." Saddam's capture
comes at a great price in dollars, lives, policy and international
politics. Would all of the resources expended to apprehend Saddam have
been more effective in making Americans safer if used differently? I
think so.

(signed)