Amid reports that thousands of Iraqi soldiers had surrendered, administration aides were also upbeat in private, with one even talking of victory within a week. But even continued military success carries political and diplomatic risks for President Bush and the U.S. The allied rejection of the last-minute Soviet-led diplomatic effort to (avoid) the ground war enabled Mr. Bush to seize the initiative from an Iraq seemingly bent on dictating peace terms.  
 Verb: avoid
Yes