The decision whether to go to war or not is not a no brainer. Here are a couple of pro-war items that are worth reading. One argues that we should do it for ourselves, and another argues that we should do it for Iraqis. Of course, invading Iraq is just one of many things that we’re doing. Even as we prepare to invade Iraq, we must make plans for what we’ll do in the aftermath. And at the same time we’re doing nothing to put an end to the ongoing violence in Israel (indeed, we’re offering our unconditional support to people who are in favor of more violence). We’re not doing anything to keep North Korea from becoming a full fledged nuclear power, and we’re not doing anything about the fact that Pakistan seems perfectly willing to enable nuclear proliferation for the right price.

I’m not optimistic.

Update: I had forgotten about the devil’s deal we seem to have made with Turkey that will allow them to occupy Kurdish territory when we invade Iraq. Yet one more example of our willingness to favor expedience over morality, and yet another reminder that war is a dirty, awful business. For all the talk of liberation, I don’t think that the Kurds will be leaning out their windows waving flags when Turkish tanks roll down their streets.