It might be interesting to see how long the war continues. The Iraqis, unlike remnant Taliban and El Queda in Afghanistan, seem ready to fight a conventional war of the type the US is trained and equipped to fight. Firepower and the destruction of hard targets are at the core of this type of conflict (remember the UN assault on Serbia by US and NATO a few years ago) so that should put the US in a better position than were they confronting guerrilla or militia units ('assymetric warfare' - remember Somalia, Vietnam and, possibly, Afghanistan to come).
The Australian media is doing a good job carrying the public discussion around Iraq and commentators in the newspapers, radio, television and online news services point out the immense uncertainties facing the US and its allies, the likely Israeli response to a WMD attach by Iraq and the uncertainties in the Arab world that could flow from a war... it's those which will go on for years, perhaps... especially if the US does not take a stronger stand on ending the Israel-Palestine conflict, which could to some extent moderate reaction.
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Russ Grayson
Sydney, Australia
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