And Meanwhile...

... another 71 Iraqi civilians die in the misbegotten war your lies created, Bush. While you struggle to retain the tatters of your imperial new clothes to preserve your reputation, and while our Congress continues to mire down in petty partisan bickering over meager political stakes, and while America whines about the price of the gas we'll be continuing to guzzle profligately over the Easter vacation, another 71 Iraqi civilians die in your misbegotten war--which I'm now convinced of what I failed at first to see: that it was after all a war about oil, and this country's insatiable need for that resource.

Incidentally, Bush, a friend reminded me, after one of my not infrequent spasms about American complaints about prices at the pump--I'm a European by origin, and prices there have been three times ours for decades--that the complainers have some right on their side when you consider the obscene profits of the oil companies. Agreed. That's galling--although I suppose it must provide some satisfaction to oilmen like yourself and your Cheney. Even so, I persist in thinking that this is only a part of the much bigger, global problem of resource availability.

Anyway, listen, I'm taking off early today. The grandchildren await! They arrived yesterday afternoon and survived another hour and a half of travel in our rented van with remarkably good humor before getting to their hotel down by the beach. A delightful bunch, Bush. They have grown up a lot in the more than a year since we last saw them: the twins are actually walking and talking! And Alice a proper little English girl, with her English accent! Ellie and I walked them down to the beach for just a few minutes while their parents were unpacking, and they had such a great time, dodging the incoming waves as children love to do. A joy to watch them. Last night we made hamburgers and feasted on them. Looking forward to seeing them all again this morning.

Have a great weekend, Bush. Take a deep breath. You still have a wonderful opportunity to do good in this world, if you'd only lead us toward the conservation, not the rape of resources. That door is open...