One by one, former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley lists the failings of Bush's SOTUS in The State of the Unilateralist Case , in today's Washington Post. He begins,

The State of the Union address was President Bush's opportunity to make the case for a unilateral invasion of Iraq. He failed to do so in a convincing manner. How we get rid of Saddam Hussein is as important in the long run as just getting rid of him. If we do it the wrong way, our action could seriously damage larger national interests.

This failing resonated with us the most.

4. Bush's strong remarks ignored the fact that military actions often have unpredictable consequences. For example, the 1991 Persian Gulf War led to a continuing U.S. presence in the Islamic holy land -- something the British and French always avoided -- and radicalized a generation of Muslims, helping to create the atmosphere for the emergence of Osama bin Laden. This time, what will happen when the shooting stops is far from clear. If we are to be seen as more than transparent hypocrites, we will have to not only win a war and maintain a military presence in Iraq, but also to preside over the development of democracy in a country that makes the former Yugoslavia seem homogeneous. This is a multi-year commitment that could take thousands of U.S. lives and billions of dollars, yet there appears to be no plan for carrying it out. The president has not leveled with the American people about the cost of democratization, nor has he built popular support for occupation. By telling the American public only half the story now, he risks great national division later.

Unfortunately, a new poll by ABC and the Washington Post shows that 66% now approve of Bush's plan for military action in Iraq. 51% say they approve even without U.N. approval.

Update: History Professor Tom Spencer of Thinking Things Through explains the flaws in the new poll. (Thanks, Skippy, for the link)