The Bush administration was excoriated at home and abroad for its unilateralism in confronting Iraq. But does anybody really think, when the hard decisions have to be made to face down the next threat, that anyone other than the US will be in the coalition?
Call me an optimist, but I think that our relative silence the last few years over Iran while the EU-3 futilely tried the magical wonders of soft power were part of a deal we made with them:
We'll try your way and if it doesn't work by a date set, you join us in a military strike.
Of course, just as allies bailed on promises to commit troops to Iraq after we captured Baghdad, our allies might bail on us again with Iran; but I think even the Europeans see a threat from Iran. And though China and/or Russia will save Iran from official UN Security Council blessings, we will have allies in the attack.
