For a brief monment, consider our political context today?

As the U.S. makes preparations for a second Gulf war, it faces unprecedented
terrorist threats, a fraying transatlantic alliance (including perhaps the biggest split in NATO's 50 year history), and antagonistic relations with virtually the
entire Islamic world.

NONE of these conditions existed in
1990/91.

Nor is the economic backdrop remotely comparable: consumers in the U.S., Europe and Japan have record
levels of debt, accumulated long before the prospect of war with Iraq became a reality.

In 1991 Oil was under $20. per barrel. Today oil has risen 30% since November and the situation in Venezuela creates a shortfall of 125 million barrels annualized.

Going to war and kickin' ass, sounds good in your local bar----but perhaps you might give it a second thought as you drive there in your Lincoln Navigator?

Publius