Well, he did try to present a case for war in the SOTU. But what a case. Again with the aluminum tubes. Atrios proclaims "complete ethical bankruptcy" --- but that's a little much to say about Colin Powell.

Another explanation --- not original to me --- is that the intelligence analysts who were widely rumored last fall to be under heavy pressure to produce a pro-war case finally knuckled under and gave Rummy what he wanted, and that now the administration's top brass is actually believing intelligence that in truth amounts to little more than their own propaganda.

I wish I could recall where I saw this notion first...