Iraq has been like hell for the last three years. I think it would surpass any expectation if a civil war erupts. This will go even into a much worse scenario, not only for Iraq, but for the region as well.

It will tackle issues related to Arab security, whether conflicts between Arab states or issues affecting the security of the Arab states, so weapons of mass destruction, even water security, resolution of conflicts.

What makes earth feel like hell is our expectation that it should feel like heaven.

There's no way in hell Merkel will send troops to Iraq. But what her visit will definitely do is set a tone--not necessarily set a policy. I wouldn't count on there being an announcement that Bush has just signed on to Kyoto.

When Britain and the U.S. invaded Iraq, it was with the reasonable expectation that it was going to increase the threat of terror, as it has.

You're spending taxpayer dollars, so a reasonable degree of transparency is required. But if someone has an expectation that you would have the same efficiencies as in a private sector supply chain, that's probably not going to happen, because private sector doesn't have to worry about transparency. When it's taxpayer money, additional steps are required.