The online version of this week’s Time magazine is up on their Web site. I find the cover title interesting: “Is it too late to win the war?” I haven’t read it yet. My copy will be here Tuesday, and I don’t want to spoil the surprise. But the question intrigues me. I thought we already won the war in Iraq, and we’re just spilling blood in an protracted occupation to install democracy. Yes, I think I remember it: statues of Saddam yanked down, his ass dragged from a “spider hole,” (never bought that one)the Republican Guard pummeled into a quivering tattered relic, then the looting and the promises of a better Iraq through the miracle of no bid contracts.

So what is Time yammering on about? I can’t wait for Tuesday!

Have you been wondering how it was going to turn out? The new democracy in Iraq, I mean. Well, the waiting is over; the beginning of the end is upon them. It’s going to get a lot worse, but I can tell you in general terms: Civil War. Oh yeah, it’s gonna get ugly, and it’s already out of all semblance of “control.” There’s gonna be hell to pay.

“Iraq’s Shi’ite- and Kurdish-led government, backed by the United States, faces a Sunni Arab revolt that has intensified ahead of an October 15 referendum on a new constitution.

Sunni Arabs, the dominant community under ousted leader Saddam Hussein, fear they will lose influence under the new charter and many have vowed to reject it.”

[news link]:

band practice

I have a song floating around in my head tonight: Row Jimmy, the Grateful Dead. I wish my Limewire was working so I could try to download it. I’m sure not going to wade into my tapes for it. I’m a little tired. But here’s some lyrics … What do they call to mind for you?

Here’s a half dollar if you dare
Double twist when you hit the air,
Look at Julie down below,
The levee doin’ the do-pas-o.

I say row Jimmy row, gonna get there, I don’t know
Seems a common way to go, get
out and row, row, row, row, row.

Broken heart don’t feel so bad,
You ain’t got half of what you thought you had.
Rock you baby to and fro
Not too fast and not too slow.

Well the band practice last night went not so bad. I’d kind of expected the suckage of the thing to hang over the little valley like fallout, killing trees. But I was impressed; some people found their instruments a lot sooner than I did. I sucked, though.

It’s late. I’ve been writing. Paid off nicely, I think, though the throughput is small. Oh well. Hope you all had a good evening, and are snug in your beds. That’s where I’m headed too … your beds. No no no, that’s not right. My bed.

Meanwhile, back at the disasters, turns out the real screwup was our mighty homeland-security secretary and not so much the more minor dipwad who walked the plank. There’s a cool plot-twist, huh?

Well, it’s late.

thanks E!