OF COURSE, INSTAPUNDIT READERS ALREADY KNEW THIS:

In fact, not only did plans for “regime change” in Iraq NOT originate with the Bush White House, the “sinister plot” was actually ratified by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton a full three years before President Bush came to Washington.

According to Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal, “The 1998 Iraqi Liberation Act was passed by an unanimous Senate and a near-unanimous House,” after which Mr. Clinton certified it as the law of the land with his signature.

What the Journal didn’t note was how bold Clinton officials were about their plans to topple Saddam.

According to a report in Newsweek just three months ago, after Clinton signed the Iraqi Liberation Act, “the U.S. government convened a conference with the [Iraqi National Congress] and other opposition groups in London to discuss ‘regime change.'”

In Jan. 1999, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright even appointed a special representative for transition in Iraq, Frank Ricciardone, who reportedly had “a mandate to coordinate opposition to Saddam.” . . .

Two months later, the Clinton administration’s plans for a post Saddam Iraq were already well underway, with State Department spokesman Jamie Rubin explaining to reporters: “What we’re trying to do . . . is strengthen an Iraqi opposition movement that can lay out solid plans for the post-Saddam recovery in all sectors of national life.”

As the Washington Times noted at the time, “President Clinton has said that getting rid of Saddam is a major U.S. objective.”

Told you so.