[DanaC]

From the link UT posted:

Strategic suitability


Iraq is centrally located with borders on Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. It has major ports through which supplies and troops can move. Thus if we occupied Iraq, it would be ideal as a potential base of military operations against any of those other nations later, should that become necessary.
The governments in the region know it. Having American troops on their borders, or even the threat to move troops there, was guaranteed to get their attention.


If the military victory over Iraqi forces was overwhelming, that would make the threat even more impressive. The military forces of the other nations in the region were even less formidable than that of Saddam's Iraq.


This would make diplomatic threats against them far more effective and inspire much more cooperation from them than had been forthcoming to that point.

Geopolitical importance.