Could Apple allow Windows apps to run natively?

There been a fair bit of chat the past day or so about whether Apple is secretly planning to add Windows application support directly to the Mac OS.  Could Apple allow Windows apps to run natively?  Would it be in Apple's interests to do so?

I'm going  say that to take the fact that Leopard will attempt to load Portable Executable (PE) files when instructed, even going as far as trying to find the right DLL files and then extrapolating that to mean that Apple is working on native support for Windows apps is a heck of a stretch of the imagination.  My guess is that this has more to do with Apple trying to tighten up virtualization and make it easier for tools from companies such as VMware and Parallels run better under the OS.

However, this raises some interesting points worth thinking about.  Without a doubt, being able to virtualize the Windows OS on the Mac has been good for sales, as has adding tools such as Boot Camp.  Each method has different strengths and weaknesses, and having a Windows-compatible API built into the Mac OS would certainly make the transition from Windows to Mac a lot easier for those making the switch.  Imagine being able to install all your favorite Windows applications onto your Mac without having to mess about with the cost and hassle of installing Windows? 

The biggest problems I can see would stem from compatibility issues.  Projects such as Wine have shown us that while it is possible to develop a compatibility layer, getting this to a point where it just works is far from easy.  This leads me to the conclusion that any kind of built-in API on the Mac to support Windows would be too kludgy and unreliable for Apple to put its brand onto.

Thoughts?