As the sun set on Baghdad tonight and any Westerner serious about safety was holed up in the secure 'green zone' the number of US troops killed in that country's war has reached 2978, making it five more than the 2973 killed in the 9/11 attacks.
Five years since 9/11 and the US still eyes any country that simply disagrees on its policy with strong suspicion and trepidation, usually suggesting that it's not serious about peace and adding another name to it's bulls-eye board.
Four years since the invasion of Iraq and car bombings continue, people are blown up if they dare to want to work for their own police force, US and allied forces are regarded with suspicion and with having an alterior motive. This wary regard was demonstrated by Christmas Day's storming and blowing up of a police station and the freeing of around a hundred members of the public taken hostage. The operation was a success, but why let a hundred people go missing before something is done?
Of course, Saddam Hussein will certainly be executed before the end of January after today's ruling, as a waiting game that has lasted several year will now run into 2007.
After January 2007, will things change, will the violence fall away, will another policy take centre stage?
Has the wait for President Bush's new Iraq direction in policy over the holidays been worth it?
Will it take another 2978 dead troops? Or 2973 dead citizens to convince Mr Bush that this is not the way?
The heavy handed option in this self-branded 'War On Terror', to invade and bomb to hell anyone who doesn't jump to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you has been a clear failure.
Will the possibility of the very old fashioned 'diplomacy' option make a resurgence on the international policy stage in the new year?
Roll on 2007, its clear there are 2978 reasons to try something, anything else Mr Bush, you owe them that.
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