What if Polk just recognized other limits of the legalistic thinking than Lincoln? Without Polk's resolution to clear the situation with Mexico, even at the risk of a war, the trouble with the uncalculable neighbouring nation might have protracted for years, or even decades. Same applies to the quarrel over the western expansion in case Polk had not ended it by completing the process at maximum speed. Those measures do not seem unreasonable in themselves, but their implementation by guile and force is a problem. As ethics are involved, Polk's measures cannot find the approval of all schools of thought and there are plausible reasons for rating him low as well as for rating him high. That Mr. Polk's war had some superficial resemblances with Mr. Bush's war is not a plausible reason. All the more as Mr. Bush's war is not yet over.