Reading Andrew Sullivan really makes you think. Think about how he doesn't know what's going on. From his latest post:
The second U.N. resolution is irrelevant to whether a war actually takes place.... If the resolution is defeated, but war ensues, Bush will take a small hit at home, a huge hit abroad (still, how much worse could it get?) - but, precisely because of these things, an even bigger domestic gain if the war is successful.
It could get a lot worse. Two things that must be remembered: (1) people abroad love the United States. Whether we're talking about Mexico, the Netherlands, or Russia. It's almost universal. Not governments and not the extremists, of course, but the regular people of the world. They love that the United States rebuilt the world after 1945. They love the moon landings. They love the energy, drive, and courage of Americans. They love the democracy and rule of law over here. (2) people abroad don't like President Bush. They didn't like him before 9/11 when he was taking this country out of its treaty obligations and they don't like his Iraqi policy now (and they don't see much of difference between the two -- nixing treaty obligations and not getting Security Council approval).
Sullivan is talking about point #2... how much worse could that get? I agree, not much worse.
If America invades Iraq and then occupies it with an American or an American-British army of occupation, we're endanger of losing #1. That would be terrible and quite worse. For no other reason, this is why there should be a multinational occupying force.
Bush will be seen as someone who did all he could to win over the U.N., but in the end, did what he believed was right. He will emerge principled and triumphant.
Is Sullivan serious about this? Bush will be seen as someone who did what was politically expedient and triumphant.
Ditto Blair, especially if a liberated Iraq reveals untold horrors, human rights abuses and French arms contracts.
Gee wiz... I hate to sound like those people who marched the other weekend, but can't we find out about these "untold horrors" and "human rights abuses" *before* we go to war?