The war in Iraq has progressed in accordance with how the global anti-war movement predicted. Almost everyone believed in the inevitable defeat of the Hussein regime. However, all the drawbacks envisioned by the anti-war forces have also began to materialize. United States forces have been successful on the conventional battle field, but the rapid adoption of guerrilla tactics by the remnants of the Iraqi, forces such as the specter of suicide bombings and guerrilla attacks in post-war Iraq, are troubling.

The killings of innocent Iraqi civilians at U.S. military checkpoints, and by air strikes, have incensed the Arab world. The Arabs on the streets in Jordan, Syria and Egypt are protesting to U.S. policy. The orange alerts at home, and the attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanistan, demonstrate the looming threat of terrorism.

Furthermore, the practice of preemption in Iraq has already possibly been adopted by nuclear-armed India in its dealings with nuclear-armed neighbor Pakistan.

The U.S. doctrine of disarming foes with weapons of mass destruction has only legitimized the their acquisition by nations trying to use them for self-defense against aggression.

It will be intriguing to see if the Bush doctrine results in increased proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and increased military expenditures by other nations trying to counter the U.S. military build up.

Domestically, the pretext of a war has been used to exploit Americans’ sense of patriotism to pass an extremist agenda. An agenda to destroy our environment with drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refugee and weakening several environmental protections, while the Bush administration and the Republican controlled Congress has pillaged social programs for the most vulnerable in our society to fund billion-dollar tax-cuts for the most privileged in our society.

The argument and justification for restricting our liberties at home for national security purposes has been greatly expanded. National security grounds have been used as justification for restricting information to inform communities of dangerous industries in their midst, so that they can hold our government and these corporations accountable.

However dark the situation might seem, we cannot acquiesce and become disillusioned with the process of deciding our common destiny. We need to work to make sure that the international rule of law will be respected in the future and that the United Nations will have a robust role in post-war Iraq.

Additionally, there needs to be a new galvanized movement of world weapons of mass destruction disarmament. At the same time we need to hold our representatives accountable now and in the elections of 2004.