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Scott, the defining moment was a long time ago. The decision has already been made. The President is surrounded by people well-versed in foreign policy and military affairs. He would never have sent all the troops to the Persian Gulf if he didn't intend to follow through.

The left, including Chirac and Schroeder (and Clinton as well, I have no doubt) have believed their own stories about him for way too long.

Perhaps he has, but we cannot know that. A decision is never truly made until you commit your forces completely to battle. There are many levels of pressure that military forces can apply short of battle-to-the-death. Bluff is not just in Poker.

This is a big (the biggest) decision point for the President, because there are significant downsides in whatever action he takes. This is one of those great and terrible moments that every generation or two a President comes to -- decisions that can only come from the character of the occupant of the office. There are no easy answers here, no consensus for him to use.

There is a strident left/right demarcation here that is represented by France/Germany and the American left (now active again). The left believes in surrender -- peace at all costs. The right believe in (for lack of a better term off the cuff) peace through strength.

The President cannot be political here - he must come down on one side or the other. You say the decision has been made, I do not think that that is quite accurate. The President may know the decision he needs to make but I do not believe that he has yet determined to send the men/women under his charge into (truly) harm's way and release the chaos of internal attacks from the terrorists here who will surely come out in fury across this nation. His choices are not good: Slow rot and defeat through appeasement and ever-increasing boldness by our enemies or deadly chaos internationally and internally for at least a modest period of time.

If I agree with you and say he is not bluffing with the military buildup, it's probably only because he has not used bluff in the past and I don't think he can afford to at any rate.

But we have seen times in history where leaders have hiccupped at the wrong moment, over decisions between bad and worse. This will not weigh easily or lightly on him. He won't make this decision in advance, I believe.