SASless, you are aware that France declared war some time before that, and mobilised 100+ divisions when the best WE could do was send 'em 4 and 4 more later...and the wonderful Americans hadn't even noticed yet, except to pass a special law (the Neutrality Act) making it illegal to sell us any arms?
BTW, if the fact that the Iraqi army, like every other army in the world, has gas masks means that they are going to use gas, why does that not apply to us? It is a silly argument to say that because they carry gas masks they must be about to use the stuff - like saying that a motorcyclist who wears a crash helmet will clearly crash his bike on purpose. Which worthwhile army doesn't possess protective gear? Even the police do!