Troll is right. Anyone making public statements speaks with the approval of the President. You just choose to believe whatever they are saying if whatever it is is said by someone you approve of, I suppose.

It should not be surprising for there to be disagreement among members of Bush's advisors on any subject. He listens and decides which way to go. So far he has sided with Powell. I suppose if a military strike is ordered at some point, you will scream that the "Defense Department Hawks" won out over the State Department.

CarolC: You make many good points in your post, I believe. I do not believe, based on what I have heard and read, though, that the government of Pakistan would necessarily be overthrown because the U. S. makes military strikes in Afghanstan. I think if their present government is overthrown, it will be because the current government joined the coalition.

I do think at some point, like it or not folks, there will be military strikes somewhere in Afghanstan. Not a mass movement of troops as in Desert Storm, but small units hitting hard pockets of terriorist training camps and getting out.

DougR