..you should realize that coalition talk and UN efforts have largely been for the benefit of those who have already mentally bequeathed are sovereignity to the UN or some other collective such as "world opinion."

It's fun to see the left diminish a collective though - and will backfire on them as the US realizes the rest of the world certainly is not looking out for our best interests and all the more puts their faith in unilateral US action.

Devilishly clever, I wish I had though of it.

;-)

Perhaps this is why Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld went along with Powell's suggestion? They knew that this could backfire on the UN and weaken it as an institution. Bush's speechwriters certainly framed 1441 as a test of future UN revelancy - the UN failed and the US will have set a strong precedent for US-British or simply US unilateral action for any future crisis.

If the US finds WMD and the war finishes within a month or two - the US and the world has been given a powerful incentive not to question US unilateral actions in the future and completely discredit the UN.

Small US led coalitions will then be easy to build as needed.

SDAI-Tech1