People who see the world always Literally (and read metaphors the same way, especially in their fav books) utterly lack the subtlety to manipulate 'sentiment' in others.

These are the sort of folks who wish that French had a word for nuance (too) and the idea of zeitgeist would never occur. Military equipment was invented precisely for use by such undeveloped humans, whose banal charm endears them to the non-voting electorate: they are no threat to Joe & Joyce Sixpack. These see that *anyone* can be pRes NOW.

(G\ufffdebbels was so very much better at what these buffoons imagine they will 'do') Already W has pissed-off our other 'allies' via his intransigence, his juvenile doggerel about Wars on Sin n'stuff -- and his failure to pay a few quid for the pros already granted him.

(See recent stories about Mexico's attitude re 'any more special favors' -- as W waffles over an issue important to Fox et al)

It's embarrassing to watch this - even when Ashcroft Shuts-Up for a few days: Ari is still there to ooze trite crap in the interim.

QED?

Ashton