NYTimes -- Will Bush's March to War Be Slowed?

The hawks in the administration are nervous, some experts say.

"They are nervous that he will not pull the trigger," said Michael McFaul, a professor of political science at Stanford University who has advised both the Bush and Clinton administrations on Russian policy.

"They thought they were in the driver's seat," he said, adding that "now they are panicked" because they agreed to drive Mr. Bush to the United Nations. Their fear is that Mr. Bush will balk at writing unilateral rules of the new international game.

For now, administration officials seemed poised to make significant investments in an extended United Nations inspection effort.

War could still break out, but Mr. Ermarth, asked to assess the odds, said, "By a hair, I would bet that things get dragged out." But there is always the winter after next.