What's to say, really? I honestly thought that war would be averted; that the price that would be paid in credibility and unity in the international system would be simply too much and, therefore, the United States would try to find a way out; especially after Bush gave that "getting rid of WMD would be a regime change" line. I certainly didn't think the invasion ultimatum of "leave or die" would be given before Blix gives his speech about inspections today; I have little doubt that a goodly number of Europeans and other non-Americans have looked at the timing and thought "what is Blix going to say"? I didn't think that Bush would proceed while his "coalition of the willing" is so effectively small and isolated that even Canada decides to oppose it: a nation that faces graver economic consequences from defying the American will than any other.

Still, here we are. At this point, as many others have stated, one can only hope that the dreams of the pro-war types come true, and that the war goes relatively easily. There's simply no other choice; a dislike for the idea or the leaders that propagate it is not worth the death of either American soldiers or Iraqi civilians. I also can do little but hope that the reconstruction goes well. After the fog of war is over and Saddam is removed, the most important question will rear its ugly head. It's the question that I can't stop thinking about and the question that is being pointedly ignored by everyone focused on this war. The simple question that says everything:

What next?