The world is upside down.
The three left-of-centre dailies.. the Guardian, the Independent and the Mirror.. all most hostile to the government's war, while the rightwing press largely urges it on. This is a wretched state of affairs for those who support Tony's government, watching it plunge headlong into what appears to be a serious error.
Europe is fractured, other alliances and friendships lost, leaving Britain marooned with George Bush.
Colin Powell's sweep through Old Europe yesterday delivered a direct snub to any serious role for the UN rebuilding Iraq.
The frenzied roars providing the background for George's stomach-churning speech in North Carolina were a display of patriotic histrionics which will either appal.. or incite the world.
But.. if it does end well and Tony Blair proves right after all..?
Those who oppose the war can only hope to eat their words: nothing wrong with humble pie.
So let us examine the government's scenario for everything going right. At the moment, it goes as follows...
Republican Guard battalions have melted away under catastrophic bombardment. Stout resistance remains and Baghdad may not fall in a day but it will not be Stalingrad. There is no great hurry - Basra is the patient way to take towns, gradually. The regime will fall with fewer British and US losses than in any conflict in history: civilian deaths will be proportionate. Rolling news deceives with its hungry demands for a new Band of Brothers episode every hour, but war doesn't work like that. All in all, the government sounds calmly certain that all will be well. Since we know nothing, let's assume all will be tolerably well.
We'll continue shortly..