pray it's not too late

The neocon republicans like Mr Cheney are discredited and facing various congressional investigations. They are badly damaged by the Libby trial, which exposed their ruthless mania and use of lies to justify a war gone wrong.

But the larger factor in their demise is that their neo-conservative hypotheses have been falsified by events. Invading Iraq did not catalyse a new Middle East; isolating North Korea advanced its nuclear programme, and high-handed unilateralism has reduced American power.

At the outset of his presidency, Mr Bush thought himself lucky to have a number two who did not aspire to his job. We hope he now grasps the hazard of lending so much power to Cheney and to the neocon republicans with no incentive to test their views in the political marketplace. We hope it is not too late to repair the damage they have done to our country.