Were you asleep? A recurring theme in the run up to the invasion was the Deciders lack of a decision. These are just a few clippings. Try out Google's new archive search of the news.

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On Tuesday, Bush said that "one option, of course, is the military option." The president added, however, he had no plans to attack.

June 5, 2002

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“I think that that presumes there's some kind of imminent war plan. As I said, I have no timetable.”

G. W. Bush, Aug. 10, 2002 while golfing

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The State Department asserted today that President Bush had not decided on a military campaign against Iraq, and that Secretary of State Colin L. Powell had not been enlisted to marshal international support for a military operation.

NYT August 27, 2002

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[Pentagon spokeswoman Tori] Clarke added that it's way too early to be discussing postwar options since President Bush "has not said that military action will occur."

October 11, 2002

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You said we're headed to war in Iraq -- I don't know why you say that. I hope we're not headed to war in Iraq. I'm the person who gets to decide, not you.

G.W. Bush, December 31, 2002

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I've not made up our mind about military action. Hopefully, this can be done peacefully. Hopefully, that as a result of the pressure that we have placed -- and others have placed -- that Saddam will disarm and/or leave the country.

G.W. Bush, March 6, 2003 White House press conference

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(For the record, Saddam was disarmed [of WMDs] by the G.H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations.)