Arabs could have easily sanctioned US and the rest of West back then. Or maybe people were happy to see Husein go... While in this case the world has a different opinion.
No one can easily sanction the US, even if it invades a country against all UN rules. Countries that opposed the invasion didn’t even leave NATO.
Anything is not possible till the moment it actually happens. I remember when countries with McDonalds attacking each other was impossible.