The debate on the pros and cons of a U.S. attack on Iraq is heating up in the United States and elsewhere. Whether Iraq is a member of the "axis of evil" or not, there is no doubt that President George W. Bush sees its continuing development of weapons of mass destruction as a serious threat to U.S. security. And he seems determined to drive Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power. Both U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld are on record as saying a "regime change" in Baghdad is necessary.

The big question is whether the U.S. should actually strike Iraq first. A U.S. war against Iraq would have far-reaching political and economic repercussions around the world. First and foremost, the question must be debated exhaustively not only in the U.S. but in the United Nations as well.

Any U.S. military action against Iraq involves many imponderables. As yet there is no convincing rationale or conclusive evidence to justify such an operation. There also remains much doubt about how to conduct such a high-risk campaign. Iraq is not Afghanistan. It is also unclear how, or even whether, a post-Hussein Iraq can be rebuilt into a democracy.