It could have either avoided a monumental mistake, as Iraq has now proved to be, or it could have brought the United Nations on board from the outset, ensuring that military action, and the subsequent occupation and reconstruction of the country, would have broad multilateral support. At worst, the Bush administration could have acted alone, but with sufficient force, skill, and diligence - and with the appropriate and imperative respect for human rights and international law - to get the job done quickly.
这些都是布什政府自找的。它本可以避免如此极端的错误，伊拉克眼下的局势即是如此。或者它本可以从一开始就让联合国参与进来，确保军事行动和接下来的占领及重建享有广泛的国际支持。最坏情况下，布什政府可能单独行动，但也可以动用更多的力量和技巧，按照对人权和国际法适度尊重的原则，迅速地完成这项任务。