COALITION OF THE US AND THAT'S ABOUT IT...ING?

Rummy's comments...

"I think until we know what the (U.N.) resolution is, we won't know the answer as to what their role will be," Rumsfeld said.

"And to the extent they are able to participate -- in the event that the president decides to use force -- that would obviously be welcomed. To the extent they're not, there are work-arounds and they would not be involved, at least in that phase..."

"That is an issue that the president will be addressing in the days ahead, one would assume,"

...earlier today are big news over on Airstrip One, where Tony Blair is getting ice cold feet.

Basically, the Bushies want to sacrifice our last remaining significant supporter of a possible war in Iraq by trying to stick to the March 17 start date for war. What's the problem in the UK?

Mr Blair desperately needs the second resolution to prevent revolt by his ministers and MPs.

Panic gripped Downing Street on Monday after the French president, Jacques Chirac, said in a televised interview that he would veto the resolution.

Mr Blair has apparently been told by government lawyers that without a second resolution, it will be illegal for Britain to participate in war.

Wow. Oh, and there's this:

According to British sources, Washington is alarmed at the extent to which the British government is prepared to be flexible in offering compromises to the six "undecided" members.

Cameroon, Guinea, Angola, Mexico, Chile and Pakistan yesterday demanded that the proposed US-British ultimatum, set last week for March 17, be extended to allow Iraq 45 days to disarm.

They also suggested that Saddam Hussein be given a short list of disarmament tasks to complete.

The White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, insisted that the proposal to push back the March 17 deadline by a month was "a non-starter." But the UK ambassador to the UN, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, offered the six an extension to the end of the month and was ready to concede ground over the benchmarks.

Hmm, one country is being reasonable, and it ain't ours.

This is getting really heavy, and we're this close to it being America against the world. Can't we just elect Kerry/Edwards/Dean now?