This argument on the symbolic origins of the US war against Iraq does not claim that all wars are now down to a determination not to lose face. A desire for gratitude may be the main reason why a war (like the American war against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan) is sparked off, or a secondary factor that merely serves to justify it. However, even in the latter case, the minimal desire for gratitude may be an obstacle in the way of starting a war for profit. There is little doubt that it took 11 September and the refusal of the Iraqi authorities to cooperate fully with the IAEA inspectors for the hawks in the Bush administration to be able to push the option of war against Iraq effectively