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"The only valid criticism of President Bush, in this context, is that he is not true enough to the heritage of the Lone Star State. When the Texas Rangers went after a bank robber or rustler, they didn't wait to ask the permission of his fellow gang members. Yet Bush is asking permission from a U.N. Security Council that includes Syria, one of the world's most active sponsors of terrorism."

No, he's not asking for their permission, and doesn't need it. You don't deploy at this magnitude, you don't send the Screaming Eagles and the carriers and so on unless you know full well that you are going to use them.

Don't confuse "appearances" for reality. If the security council says no, it doesn't matter; we still go.

I should say, "we went."

Saddam Hussein himself has more authority to change the course of events than does the UN. Turkey, Saudi Arabia and so on each have more auhtority to alter events than does the UN.

We've already begun. We always do send in the SF weeks before the dramatic "start" that the public and press look for. We are already committed to this fight, regardless of what goes on among the diplomats.

The Secuirty Council can't stop what we have already begun. They can either go along as they usually do, or balk. Either way, the result is the same for Iraq.

One of the great films of all time is, of course, High Noon. Before facing the killers arriving by train at noon the sheriff tries his best to enlist the town to help, not only for himself but because in doing so they would be protecting themselves from a gang of lawless animals. Everyone turns him down. Even his wife cannot understand why he doesn't just face reality and run away.

Sound familiar? That story resonated with Americans in the 50's and still does. Every individual has a core image of him or herself, and so does every nation. I honestly cannot tell you what that image is for an Englishman, a German, of a Frenchman. In the case of the latter two, what had been their image of themselves has, I think, been stamped out and lost. Most Americans haven't yet, thank G*d, lost ours.

Foreigners (and their sympathizers of the American left) can disparage the word "cowboy" all they want, but they do not understand that the image of the lone cowboy standing up for good against all odds is our mythic image of what an American should be. Therefore, they are making a huge mistake if they think that calling G.W. Bush a "cowboy" is going to somehow make him less popular with most Americans. In fact, it will have the opposite effect.