Dear Nephew,

Found Eben, on his way home from teaching summer school, resting in the shade of my porch. Asked him how he was doing in all this heat, but he said it wasn’t the heat that was making him hot and bothered.

 As you know, Maggie,” he said, “The administration pacified Falluja by making the Baathists and insurgents the peacekeepers. Well, now it’s a base for attacking Baghdad, making car bombs, training recruits, and plotting to overthrow the government.”

 Land sakes, Eben, didn’t Bush & Co. figure that? I mean you can’t put vipers in charge of the land and make it a Garden of Eden. Them, of all people, should know that!”

 "I suspect,” Eben went on, “Bush was more concerned with things appearing good fast than being good in the long run. There’s the election, you know.”

"Remember, Maggie, Bush said he didn't worry how history judged this Iraq adventure of his as by then he’d be dead? Well, same logic here. After election, won't matter if pacifying Falluja's real bloody as by then he’ll already be President.”

 Yours Truly,
Great Aunt Maggie Pye