RECORDS show that the Bush Republican clique began seeking an invasion of Iraq in the 1990s, before George W. Bush won the White House. As soon as he took office, secret efforts for an attack began, according to books by administration insiders. The 9/11 strike by Muslim suicide fanatics provided a pretext for an invasion, although Iraq had no connection to 9/11.

Monday and Tuesday nights, a powerful PBS documentary titled "Bush's War" spelled out how the White House systematically pulled America into the unnecessary Iraq conflict on bogus grounds.

The program showed grim scenes of battles and casualties, mixed with interviews of U.S. officials who described how hawkish "neoconservatives" manipulated America.

Before the invasion, Pentagon weapons inspector David Kay reported that Iraq had no horror weapons, despite White House claims. He said he was punished by being stuck in a tiny office with no phone or secretary, banished from sight. "What it said to me is: These guys really don't want the message," Kay recounted. He said the administration "mishandled every piece of information that we have."

Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward related that, on the night after the 9/11 tragedy, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said: "Part of our response maybe should be attacking Iraq. It's an opportunity."

Britain's Reuters news service commented about the PBS documentary: "Practically from the moment the World Trade Center was struck, the Bush administration sought a pretext to invade Iraq. Facts that argued against an invasion were discredited or ignored, and new 'facts' were invented....

"It was primarily orchestrated by Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Bush was 'the decider' only insofar as he signed off on their plans, often paying no heed to Secretary of State Colin Powell and others.... Practically every plan, idea, assumption and strategy advanced by Cheney and Rumsfeld was incorrect."

The four-hour television report makes it clear that the nightmare is a tragic blunder that wise leaders would have avoided. If the White House merely had let U.N. inspectors continue searching Iraq, no horror weapons would have been found, and the grounds for an invasion would have evaporated.

Instead, 4,000 young Americans are dead, taxpayers are stuck for astronomical debts, and Iraq has been turned into a magnet for terrorists. After five years, no solution is in sight. The documentary ends: "Soon, Bush's war will be handed to someone new."

Millions of Americans seem bored by the Iraq war. Relatively few families have children in the all-volunteer military. The public focuses instead on the election campaign, sports and other subjects. But the ugly reality won't go away.

Starting an unnecessary war is a heinous offense. We don't know why it hasn't resulted in impeachment efforts.

Monday and Tuesday nights, a powerful PBS documentary titled "Bush's War" spelled out how the White House systematically pulled America into the unnecessary Iraq conflict on bogus grounds.

The program showed grim scenes of battles and casualties, mixed with interviews of U.S. officials who described how hawkish "neoconservatives" manipulated America.

Before the invasion, Pentagon weapons inspector David Kay reported that Iraq had no horror weapons, despite White House claims. He said he was punished by being stuck in a tiny office with no phone or secretary, banished from sight. "What it said to me is: These guys really don't want the message," Kay recounted. He said the administration "mishandled every piece of information that we have."

Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward related that, on the night after the 9/11 tragedy, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said: "Part of our response maybe should be attacking Iraq. It's an opportunity."

Britain's Reuters news service commented about the PBS documentary: "Practically from the moment the World Trade Center was struck, the Bush administration sought a pretext to invade Iraq. Facts that argued against an invasion were discredited or ignored, and new 'facts' were invented....

"It was primarily orchestrated by Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Bush was 'the decider' only insofar as he signed off on their plans, often paying no heed to Secretary of State Colin Powell and others.... Practically every plan, idea, assumption and strategy advanced by Cheney and Rumsfeld was incorrect."

The four-hour television report makes it clear that the nightmare is a tragic blunder that wise leaders would have avoided. If the White House merely had let U.N. inspectors continue searching Iraq, no horror weapons would have been found, and the grounds for an invasion would have evaporated.

Instead, 4,000 young Americans are dead, taxpayers are stuck for astronomical debts, and Iraq has been turned into a magnet for terrorists. After five years, no solution is in sight. The documentary ends: "Soon, Bush's war will be handed to someone new."

Millions of Americans seem bored by the Iraq war. Relatively few families have children in the all-volunteer military. The public focuses instead on the election campaign, sports and other subjects. But the ugly reality won't go away.

Starting an unnecessary war is a heinous offense. We don't know why it hasn't resulted in impeachment efforts.