My spell checker always wants me to replace “but” with “moreover” or “however”. My friend, Norman the Genius, used to run down the list of everything he could think of to finish something he started and ALWAYS had a “but”, that indicated he found a problem. Our sister-in-law, Bettina, NEVER used “but” in recounting the awful difficulties she had with almost EVERY one of her projects although it was always there in her story which she relished to recount endlessly.

I hate to spill cold water on the lush, warm and sloppy sentiment that surrounds the current President’s performance yesterday during the carefully planned extravaganza on board the Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln; BUT I am going ahead and do it anyway. There has notably been a lack of subjects with which to attack the current President in full flush preening, claiming success with the attack, invasion and deposing the current government of Iraq.  I would like to point out that there was no surrender ceremony indicating relinquishing the leadership by either Saddam Hussein or any other combative entity representing the Nation of Iraq.

The European powers of the 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th Centuries made a great show of surrender, ceremonially offering and accepting the defeated’s sword over to the conqueror. The two great wars of the 20^th Century ended with ceremonies when a representative of the defeated nation surrendered officially to the victor. BUT, where is that ceremony with respect to the defeat of Iraq?  I am questioning this lacuna because I believe that it isn’t over until it is over.

We have no evidence of either Osama bin Laden OR Saddam Hussein’s death.  That, after all, has been the chief purpose of ending terror and possible use of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Neither the weapons nor the persons sought have turned up.  So, the “but” here remains; the celebrations may be a little premature.  Yet, there are compelling reasons for the show of Bush the Second appearing in full flight apparel and landing on board the aircraft carrier and making a speech saying, the end is here.

Even the dourest of grouchy opponents of Mr. Bush must agree that the celebration and the demonstration of a winner in full display were well done.  It may have been necessary to reassure the American People who are not all members of the species Boobus Americanus. There may have been other reasons such as freeing investors to set off another frenzy in the stock markets.  But, the best of all reasons most probably is giving photo ops to use great pictures of G.W. Bush in his campaign for reelection in 2004. But, I think you know that. (Carol says send this one of the five, I have written this week, because it is timely. Please go up to the web to see the others.)