One end game presented by "ultra-realists" John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt argues that "Both logic and historical evidence suggest a policy of vigilant containment would work, both now and in the event Iraq acquires a nuclear arsenal." And "[t]his war would be one the Bush administration chose to fight but did not have to fight." In other words, no new expedition is necessary.

Fouad Ajami claims otherwise and urges America to take up the challenge of modernizing the Arab world starting from Iraq: "For Pax Americana, Iraq may be worth the effort and the risks." This new Wilsonian quest will make everybody including the Arabs better off whether they like it or not.

Either way, the Iraqis have no say whatever despite the potential price in life they have to pay. Neither do American voters as their Congress gave away war game last October.