For me, the most strategically compelling reason for the Iraq war was always that it would break-up the axis of radicalism in the Middle East and make it possible to re-orient the region around something better–an axis of decency, running from Turkey to the new Iraq to Jordan to Israel. But this geo-political case for the war was always difficult to make in political argument and it also seemed an awfully risky justification for war, since you were hoping for something of a bankshot–that the invasion of Iraq would eventually affect the political feel of the entire region. But, lo and behold, it’s happening before our eyes! I never imagined it would happen so quickly. Bush gets a lot of the credit, for his stick-to-itiveness and his audacity. He has also, finally, gotten some breaks in the Middle East, with the death of Arafat and the Syrian over-reaching in Lebanon sparking the Cedar Rebellion. Yes, the Middle East could still disappoint. Perilous days still await us in Iraq. But it seems increasingly clear that the Middle East will never be the same, and that’s a marvelous thing.