With all of this excitement and relief over Iraq's offer, both in the markets and in the international community, it looks like the United States's diplomatic position regarding Iraq is in a lot worse shape than I had assumed after Bush's U.N. speech. Bush has made it quite clear that his goal is regime change in Iraq, that Saddam has no way of meeting his conditions and remaining in power. I figured the Administration had the international community on board, with the U.N. speech made up of typically polite diplomatic chatter, but with the real policy of regime change hammered out in the smoky back rooms -- that the chopper was already warming up and the French were already putting chocolates on the pillow at Saddam's new home in the Riviera.
Well, maybe I didn't think things were that far along, but I'm surprised at how overwhelming the relief seems to be over Iraq's gesture. That indicates to me that the international community has not yet clued in that Bush seeks regime change -- period -- that Saddam will leave power voluntarily or be forced out through "action" initiated by the U.N. or by the U.S. alone. I continue to believe it would be extremely bad news for us if we end up going it alone on this thing.
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