Saddam is emboldened, Iraqi cooperation has not improved, and war is even more likely.

Realistically the only way to avoid war now is if high-level Iraqi military officers view Saddam as isolated, weakened, and unpopular internationally, and they take matters into their own hands to get rid of Saddam themselves. Unfortunately, the so-called “anti-war” protesters have just given Saddam new hope that he may be able to weather the storm, avoid cooperation with the UN, keep his massive, hidden stockpiles of WMD, and keep oppressing the Iraqi people and keep posing a dangerous threat to the region and the world.

In fact, the “anti-war” protesters have strengthened Saddam’s hand, lessened the chances of a favorable coup in Iraq, and increased the chances of war.