Agreed (surprisingly enough). However, it may not be a problem that Bush can, ultimately, resolve. What, for instance, do you suppose will happen if (when?) we attack Iraq sometime in the next year. I would bet dollars to donuts that Saddam will launch chemical-laden Scuds at Israel, with the express purpose of drawing them into an attack upon Iraq, and thereby transforming the American-Iraqi conflict into an Arab/Israeli/American action. This is (sans the chemicals) exactly what he tried to do in 1991, so it is hardly a far-fetched idea (in fact, it is IMHO closer to metaphysical certainty).
Due to the actions of those (namely Saddam) who want a wider conflict in order to take some of the heat off of themselves, the situation may blow out of anyone's control in short order, much as World War I started. I hope that I'm wrong, but that's how I see events unfolding.
Probably not. But he can buy time for us to build up. Critical time. Just saw we lost another F-15 and pilot in a training crash this evening. Clinton did a job on our military
If this turns into an Arab/America war, we need, to ensure the fewest American lives lost, to be at least where we were at the start of the Gulf War. From what I read, we have a ways to go.