[dennisw]

I would say before October to make election impact. Especially if the economy is down. Everyone loves a winner!!

[sheik yerbouty]

An October surprise would be "a good thing"!

[agrace]

The Americans will not be deflected by the absence of support from continental Europe. A few months ago, William Hague asked George Bush how he would deal with European objections to ballistic missile defence. ‘I’ve got a secret plan,’ Mr Bush replied. ‘What is it?’ ‘I’ll go ahead anyway.’

I love that man!

So he should. Now that they have lost both the appetite and the capacity for power politics, the Europeans are in the grip of a contradiction. They insist that acts of war can only be justified by moral absolutes. They also insist that we live in a world of moral relativities.

Very well put.