Matthew Thomas shares a thoughtful analysis of the current Iraq state of affairs and the inefficiency of indirect action, such as petitioning, protesting, etc.:
it often seeks to vilify its targets, rather than providing them with an exit strategy. Thus, you have people making snide remarks about George W Bush's unelectedness, avenging his father, supporting oil companies, et cetera ad nauseum, but not providing him with any way he could now pull back from war without seeming like the Weakest President Ever.
Too occupied to bash Jacques Chirac to listen to what he said five days ago, many people may have missed this:
The US have deployed 200,000 men in the Gulf, and they have won already! It is probable that Iraq would not have complied without this pressure from the US. The US have therefore achieved their objective of disarming Iraq, in forcing its cooperation with the inspectors.
If this isn't an exit as big as a Babylon Gate, then what is it?