Telegraphed

Bush to UN: take on Iraq or I will

"The just demands of peace and security will be met, or action will be unavoidable. And a regime that has lost its legitimacy will also lose its power," [President Bush] told the annual debate of the UN General Assembly."

This has got to be the most telegraphed war in history. For at least 2 years now, Bush has said that deposing Saddam Hussein is priority number one when it comes to the United States' international security policy. And don't think Bush is doing it 'because' of Sept. 11. Like George F. Will says, "although the president's policy acquired special urgency with the terrorist attacks, the thrust of the policy was a campaign theme of candidate George W. Bush before the first primary of 2000."

Also, don't believe any numbers you read in the newspapers about the amount of troops near (or for that matter, in) Iraq. In fact, doubling it would be a safe bet.