One was certainly the high regard for Gen. Zinni at the State Department. As those who have endured it know, the vetting process for a presidential appointment is like being a candidate for sainthood, and the devil's advocates are in the White House counsel's office. After a few more interrogations, and repetitive questionnaires, the appointment was announced. It didn't seem likely to be a particularly controversial one, election year politics notwithstanding. All I can do is tell the story from my perspective.
Some background is necessary.
As the Monica Lewinsky affair was brewing, for reasons which seemed good to an overwhelming majority on both sides of the aisle, Congress sent President Clinton a piece of legislation known as the Iraq Liberation Act, and a besieged president signed it into law. The ILA declared it to be the policy of the United States that the Iraqi people should be rid of the dictator who has ruled Iraq since 1972, and who survived the onslaught of Desert Storm. The ILA was, and is, a non sequitur. Under the right circumstances, and given regional support, Saddam Hussein could be removed by a determined military push led by the United States. This might even be easier than it appears on the surface.