I remember Bush giving his speech....

his State of the Union speech a year and a half ago, talking about the upcoming Iraq war. He had a look in his eyes like he was about to make history, and the bold audacity of his use of power as Commander in Chief of the US military forces.

'The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm.'

Bush considered himself at that moment in time a noble leader and reluctant warrior tirelessly serving a grand cause. He continued.

'America will not accept a serious and mounting threat to our country, and our friends and our allies. The United States will ask the U.N. Security Council to convene on February the 5th to consider the facts of Iraq's ongoing defiance of the world.'

With moistened eyes but stern resolve, W's public announcement of his moment of decision had arrived. Republicans simply don't have a reputation for issuing idle threats. There was no turning back now.

The camera panned to Donald Rumsfeld, who, with hands clasped behind his back, stood at attention with jaw-clenched jeeks concealing an inner smile. He rocked slightly back and forth on the balls of his feet.

We know from watching every battle in the Lord of the Rings, the selfless struggle of noble men, elves, and hobbits are glorious in battle and victorious against great odds with persistence through dark times.

They were about to change the world. And no amount of history would serve as a giant lead weight of pessimism around their necks.

History like the European crusades, started in the 11th century, mainly by what is now France and Italy. When the great Crusader armies built grand fortified castles from Damascus to Jerusalem to support their utter dominance of the Arab people. Only to lose their grip over the decades and centuries through attrition and the stubborn life loathing logic of the Islamic religion.

Maybe they did not read history. Maybe it does not matter. This time it would be different. Bush can feel it in his teeth.