Bush and Rumsfeld prepare to attack Iraq sans International backing. It's hard to interpret what the adminsitration is doing. Their firm resolve to attack Iraq, has made it clear that everyone has to choose sides, thus that resolve has turned the UN on our side. However, when the administration does isolationist saber rattling, it puts our middle eastern allies, most especially Saudi Arabia in a bind. Under UN support, the Saudi government will let us use their bases but without it, it is very difficult for them to permit such use.

The isolationist talk may be more posturing in order to cut to the chase and spare any political UN BS, but there is also a sense that Bush is serious about this going in alone thing. This war is going to cost no less that $200 billion and when those body bags start coming home, there could be fall out. Our generation has not seen the body bag phenomenon yet, so I hope Bush and his advisors move with clear heads.