Only Russians can objectively evaluate the situation around Iraq. The people of small and medium countries, who have never borne the burden of a global imperial policy cannot do this. And neither can the Americans. They cannot do this above all because they make their decisions independently and their country is at the peak of its might. Secondly, the Americans have not yet suffered the collapse of their might and hence have not acquired the historical experience, which have the citizens of the former Soviet Union.
The regime of Saddam Hussein may be destroyed. Iraq may be defeated. We can only hope that the sophisticated US-made weapons will attain the goal with minimum human losses in Iraq and the war will not destabilise the region for decades ahead. On the other hand, this does not depend on us. It is the USA that has made the decision. And it opted for death, the death of the USA.
This will not happen overnight, but it is a pity nevertheless. After all, it was not a bad country - until it became the world's only superpower.
After the USA defeats Iraq - even if we imagine that it posed a threat to any of the US allies (it would be ridiculous to assume that it threatened the USA) - global anti-Americanism will double and triple, especially in the Islamic and Arab countries.
After the defeat of Iraq, many countries will think that they are the next target. There will be more fear in the world, fear and faked solidarity with the winner, the strongest country. On the other hand, there will be more secret solidarity with the loser, the more so that it will not be solidarity with Saddam Hussein but with ourselves, the next target. When the USA was the freest and most democratic country in the world, people, including those who feared the communist non-freedom, looked up at it.
But communism has been laid to rest. However, hardly anyone will describe the USA as the most democratic country of the world today. It has erected a barrier between itself and the rest of the world, a barrier of weapons and the rules of admission to its territory, which are growing increasingly strict and creating a new curtain, not the Iron Curtain of the Cold War age, but a modern computer curtain. Internal spying and mobilisation ideology are not contributing to the strengthening of the image of the world's most democratic democracy either.
Aggression directed outside, neglect for the opinion of its closest allies and constant wars outside the national territory do not produce the impression of democracy.
America as the symbol of democracy "for itself" and "for others" has died.
The outrage of those who feel the USA is threatening them will not reach out to the USA immediately. The USA is stronger and, most importantly, it is situated across the ocean. But it has allies; those who still recognise its leadership. And so revenge will be directed at them, countries that are more vulnerable than the USA is.
The whole of Europe - including Russia - has turned into the Forecourt of the American Fortress. Those who plan to storm this Fortress will first attack the Forecourt. Trying to save itself, America made its allies take the blame. It has exploded Euro-Atlantic unity and integrity. America has died as the main European country.
Its allies have not abandoned it yet. It is still too strong. It can still "buy" allies with fear and money. And it will repeat its Iraqi exploits elsewhere. But all the while it will gradually slide into solitude.
A few words about one aspect of Russia's current situation.
Those in Russia who deliberately worked to destroy the Soviet Union resorted to the example of the USA. They said: We are the Evil Empire but we must become the Good Empire like the USA. We will create the market and democracy - and we will be admitted to the club of civilised countries, our opinion will be respected everywhere, including in Washington. And the powerful democracy led by America will protect us from problems and cares.
What can these people say to those who replied to them: By destroying the power, withdrawing troops from everywhere, saving on the army and special services and relying on outside assistance, you will lose everything and will be defenceless against any danger?
I am afraid that the USA has died as Russia's ally, without actually becoming one. We can only hope that Russia will not be called to account for its dissenting opinion on the Iraqi problem - by the country we praised as our strategic ally in the past few years.