THE EXTRA MILE

I fully understand the frustration of many with U.S. and U.K. perseverance in the Security Council. But I do think it’s worth it. If, by some miracle, we get a majority and France vetoes, the impact will be huge for the worldwide legitimacy of the war and – just as importantly – for the marginalization of Paris. A few days is worth that effort, even if it fails. But more important, what matters is the appearance of effort. Bush and Blair’s speed-dialing their way around the globe has already flushed something valuable out: the French refusal to countenance any compromise that has a firm deadline for Iraqi disarmament. Blair was particularly smart to send this message out via the Tory leader, Iain Duncan-Smith, helping to rally Middle England behind Blair and against Chirac: “He made the reason for this as the fact that the French have become completely intransigent and literally threatened to veto anything that is put forward to the U.N. Security Council,” Duncan-Smith told the press. I think the British and American public will see this for what it is, and take some of the blame for war off the Anglo-American alliance. I think that’s one reason polls show a sharp uptick in American support for getting this war over with soon. Maybe the British polls will follow. My bet is that Blair will survive a successful war and that such an outcome could even strengthen his hand against the leftists in his party who are resisting real reform domestically. So a short delay is a good thing on the whole. Bush, as usual, is canny enough to see this. Rummy, as usual, isn’t.