“Size of a protest-its like deciding a policy based on a focus group.” That was George W. Bush’s comment on the growing global anti-war demonstrations.

Let’s face it, your opinion doesn’t count.

It should not come as a surprise that your opinion has no influence on the nation’s policy. This holds true even considering the tens of thousands of protesters that marched in New York City against the war. Not to mention the global protesters from Australia to Ireland waving signs and chanting, “One, two, three, four … we don’t want your bloody war”.

In a recent TIME/CNN poll, 61 percent of Americans either vehemently oppose a war in Iraq on any terms, or would support one only if it had been legitimized by the United Nations. Chances for U.N. endorsement met their end at the guillotine of the French veto, causing the leaders of the “coalition of the willing” to climb further down the beanstalk of opinion polls and straight into war while the lumbering U.N. giant shouts, “Fee Fie Fo Fum. No War in Iraq till inspections done.”

The United Nation’s opinion is not alone in being discounted. Alan Greenspan – the guru of the markets – has aired his opinions, cautioning members of the Senate Banking Committee that the war against Iraq is the single greatest threat to the nation’s economic well being. The markets seem concur, with consumer confidence at a nine year low. The anti-war opinions of religious leaders, like the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury, have also failed to yield the fruition of peace.

Apparently even the military’s opinion doesn’t count. Recently, some U.S. soldiers brought a lawsuit questioning the legality of Bush’s prerogative to declare war without Congressional approval. A federal judge dismissed their suit, rejecting their opinion.

On a lighter side, celebrities’ opinions don’t count either. Anti-war celebrities like Martin Sheen have failed to shift the American public’s opinion on the war with Iraq. In fact according to a CNN/Gallup poll 87 percent of Americans stated that celebrity opinions simply didn’t matter as far as they were influenced.

Even the Iraqi people’s opinion, in the form of a 100 percent presidential referendum, isn’t going to stop the war and Bush has no plans to debate with the Iraqi dictator despite Hussein’s opinion that he should.

I recognize the irony of exploiting opinion polls to discredit opinions in an op-ed article. You might disagree with me that public protests, international distress, economic forecasts, religious address, military regress, celebrity suggests and Hussein’s finesse should have an effect on Bush’s policy.

But then again, that’s your opinion and as far as Bush is concerned, your opinion simply doesn’t count.