It is disappointing so many are quick to suggest President Bush is leading the United States into a morass.

Only time will tell whether President Bush has been right in his efforts to force Saddam Hussein to disarm or if, as critics claim, his ultimatum that Saddam leave Iraq or face war is plunging this country into a political and military disaster.

Some of these critics seem to believe Bush’s actions are the result of a personal desire to place Uncle Sam in a worldwide imperialistic position. They suggest the president’s actions against Iraq are likely to be repeated against other Middle Eastern countries or other parts of the world.

It is difficult to understand such thinking. Perhaps it is rooted in their continued hatred of President Bush, and that hatred drives them to try everything in their power to paint Bush in the worst possible light.

But the critics forget one thing: It is Saddam Hussein who has refused to abide by his surrender agreements made at the end of the Gulf War. And it is Saddam Hussein who has refused for the past 12 years to abide by United Nations resolutions.

President Bush and his advisers have tried every possible diplomatic effort to give Saddam time to abide by the U.N. resolutions. Finally, Bush gave Saddam and his sons 48 hours to leave Iraq or face military action by the United States and its allies, at a time of their choosing.

What more could Bush have done, aside from continuing to give Saddam more time to build his war machine, his cache of weapons of mass destruction and time to try to divide nations against the United States? The question of U.S. military action was entirely up to Saddam.

Apparently he is choosing to plunge his country into war.

It is doubtful any of Bush’s harshest critics have any degree of the knowledge Bush and his aides have of the actual dangers presented by Saddam. Yet the critics want the public to believe they have all the answers and are in a position to fault the president for his actions. Many in the media are trying to sell the public on the idea that Bush’s policies “scare the world,” that this country will pay a steep price for Bush’s “bad diplomacy,” and that Bush endorses an “arrogant empire.” One magazine stated, “America’s unprecedented power scares the world, and the Bush administration has only made it worse.”

Again, time will tell who is right: Bush or his critics.

Unfortunately, even if Bush’s actions are close to perfect — if there is military action against Iraq and it is proved Saddam was guilty of building and stockpiling chemical or biological weapons — there still will be critics. They will find fault with something. It is interesting to note some critics are starting to talk out of both sides of their mouths. They acknowledge Saddam is an unstable, ruthless dictator, that he has violated all agreements and resolutions of the United Nations, but they are opposed to military action against him. However, these critics want to assure the United States that if it is discovered Saddam lied, they want to support the United States in its actions. And although they do not want any part of a military action, they want to get credit for helping to rebuild Iraq after the shooting has stopped. They want to have it both ways.

In the case of the leaders of France, Germany and perhaps Russia — as well as many of their industrial and chemical companies — there is fear records may show they played a significant, active role in helping Saddam in his arms buildup.

Again, only time will tell who has been right. But it is disappointing so many are so quick to suggest Bush and his advisers have led this country into a political, diplomatic morass before there is any proof of a such lasting fallout. Bush may not have played the public relations game in the best possible manner, but the end results are what counts.