At this point, the damage has been done. Now that the die is cast and war is coming, I hope we remove Saddam quickly, that there’s as little loss of life as is possible, and that the people of Iraq wind up with something better in the aftermath than they’ve had in the past few decades. At the same time, I’m not thrilled with our larger prospects. The Bush administration’s attacks on the credibility of the UN and NATO were not accidental, they’re part of the plan. These are the security structures that the US created in part to serve its own national interests in the aftermath of World War II. The current administration sees them as our oppressors. I don’t see how we can restore the value of these alliances when we completely discount them.

I also fear the aftermath of the war if it goes well. Will it give us the confidence to attack other countries? Will we follow through with our promises to the people of Iraq? I hope for the best, but expect the worst. I just have no faith in our leaders.

On a side note, I apologize for my war obsession, but I feel like it’s the most important issue that we’re confronting right now, and indeed, the most important we’ve confronted in my lifetime. The current administration is trying to change the very character of this nation and the way it relates to every other country in the world. I can’t turn away from that, much as I might like to spend more time discussing pleasant topics.