The Tripping Point: Query No. 1: If Bush wanted to today, and leaving aside the U.N. for the moment, would he have the necessary support in Congress to declare a war on Iraq? Query No. 2: Does he need to declare a "war", or can he simply use the powers granted to him after 9/11 or get a similar permission slip like his dad did in '91? Query No. 3: If he doesn't get a declaration, how long can he keep troops there? Subquery 3a: When does the operation in Iraq go from "war" to "peace-keeping"?

My take: He probably could muster enough support for some sort of declaration, but no one would want to call it a war. So, they'll let him use or modify his 9/11 terrorist powers somehow. It's going to be a massive peace-keeping effort, but I suppose that we should be in that phase once Saddam is dead or missing, at which point, to the extent there's any opposition left, it will surrender and get in line.