and believe less in this absurd war. Remember what he said before the last November elections about the invasion: ‘we are absolutely winning in Iraq.’ By now it should be clear that additional forces will not help and will likely add to the problem; it is also evident that with more troops, there will be more locations vulnerable to attack.”

She shook her head and in a sad tone replied:

“The generals in the Pentagon are responsible for the current confusion”

“Of course you are kidding” I could not help myself. But I continued:

“I listened to the President again this morning, t

As usual she was stylishly dressed with a Perkins and Arbulu jacket, a white silk blouse with just enough embroidery to make it intriguing and a charcoal gray skirt that completed the vision of subdued elegance.

“You know the purpose of this interview, of course” I began while carefully checking distances, direction and tone for the benefit of the two recording devices I carried concealed under my hairpiece and my modified Rolex wrist watch.

“Yes, I supposed you are referring to the floods in the Northeast. Let me say that as the Secretary of State, I share our president’s concern about this terrible catastrophe that has befallen upon de brave Americans in the North East. Those states have always respected law and order and defended freedom and democracy everywhere. As I said once to the President. . . “

I interrupted her to say in my usual curt and direct manner:

“Wrong again! I want to talk about that famous sentence in the president’s speech about the newsurge by adding more troops in Iraq and about winning, but perhaps not losing but staying to seek victory if defeat is farfetched, losing if we stay and losing if we win, or is it winning if we lose etc. etc. Somehow it was implied that if the insurgents manage to survive our troop's actions, they would consider this a winning proposition, which would make ours a defeat or in more poetic terms ‘not losing’ Things could not be more confusing, Madame Secretary”

“Well, he was very clear” She quickly added “The versions you hear are an attempt by the liberal media and others of the same ilk to embarrass our heroic president. Let me give you the correct perspective about this. You see, we are out to save the world from forces that oppose the basic freedoms and the respect for the rights of the citizens of this world.. As you know, our Founding fathers. . . .”

Again I was forced to interrupt her. If I let her complete one more sentence I was afraid I would have to pull the flag I kept in my jacket and star singing the national anthem. This girl was an artist when it came to clouding the issue, diverting the flow, concealing the ace and diluting the soup.

“Please don’t make speeches; I am not a contributor so try to answer my questions”

She looked at me and nodded. I went on:

“I think it was clear from the mid term elections that the American public do not longer believe the President and believe less in this absurd war. Remember what he said before the last November elections about the invasion: ‘we are absolutely winning in Iraq.’ By now it should be clear that additional forces will not help and will likely add to the problem; it is also evident that with more troops, there will be more locations vulnerable to attack.”

She shook her head and in a sad tone replied:

“The generals in the Pentagon are responsible for the current confusion”

“Of course you are kidding” I could not help myself. But I continued:

“I listened to the President again this morning, t

his terrible catastrophe that has befallen upon de brave Americans in the North East. Those states have always respected law and order and defended freedom and democracy everywhere. As I said once to the President. . . “

I interrupted her to say in my usual curt and direct manner:

“Wrong again! I want to talk about that famous sentence in the president’s speech about the newsurge by adding more troops in Iraq and about winning, but perhaps not losing but staying to seek victory if defeat is farfetched, losing if we stay and losing if we win, or is it winning if we lose etc. etc. Somehow it was implied that if the insurgents manage to survive our troop's actions, they would consider this a winning proposition, which would make ours a defeat or in more poetic terms ‘not losing’ Things could not be more confusing, Madame Secretary”

“Well, he was very clear” She quickly added “The versions you hear are an attempt by the liberal media and others of the same ilk to embarrass our heroic president. Let me give you the correct perspective about this. You see, we are out to save the world from forces that oppose the basic freedoms and the respect for the rights of the citizens of this world.. As you know, our Founding fathers. . . .”

Again I was forced to interrupt her. If I let her complete one more sentence I was afraid I would have to pull the flag I kept in my jacket and star singing the national anthem. This girl was an artist when it came to clouding the issue, diverting the flow, concealing the ace and diluting the soup.

“Please don’t make speeches; I am not a contributor so try to answer my questions”

She looked at me and nodded. I went on:

“I think it was clear from the mid term elections that the American public do not longer believe the President and believe less in this absurd war. Remember what he said before the last November elections about the invasion: ‘we are absolutely winning in Iraq.’ By now it should be clear that additional forces will not help and will likely add to the problem; it is also evident that with more troops, there will be more locations vulnerable to attack.”

She shook her head and in a sad tone replied:

“The generals in the Pentagon are responsible for the current confusion”

“Of course you are kidding” I could not help myself. But I continued:

“I listened to the President again this morning, t

it was implied that if the insurgents manage to survive our troop's actions, they would consider this a winning proposition, which would make ours a defeat or in more poetic terms ‘not losing’ Things could not be more confusing, Madame Secretary”

“Well, he was very clear” She quickly added “The versions you hear are an attempt by the liberal media and others of the same ilk to embarrass our heroic president. Let me give you the correct perspective about this. You see, we are out to save the world from forces that oppose the basic freedoms and the respect for the rights of the citizens of this world.. As you know, our Founding fathers. . . .”

Again I was forced to interrupt her. If I let her complete one more sentence I was afraid I would have to pull the flag I kept in my jacket and star singing the national anthem. This girl was an artist when it came to clouding the issue, diverting the flow, concealing the ace and diluting the soup.

“Please don’t make speeches; I am not a contributor so try to answer my questions”

She looked at me and nodded. I went on:

“I think it was clear from the mid term elections that the American public do not longer believe the President and believe less in this absurd war. Remember what he said before the last November elections about the invasion: ‘we are absolutely winning in Iraq.’ By now it should be clear that additional forces will not help and will likely add to the problem; it is also evident that with more troops, there will be more locations vulnerable to attack.”

She shook her head and in a sad tone replied:

“The generals in the Pentagon are responsible for the current confusion”

“Of course you are kidding” I could not help myself. But I continued:

“I listened to the President again this morning, t

orld.. As you know, our Founding fathers. . . .”

Again I was forced to interrupt her. If I let her complete one more sentence I was afraid I would have to pull the flag I kept in my jacket and star singing the national anthem. This girl was an artist when it came to clouding the issue, diverting the flow, concealing the ace and diluting the soup.

“Please don’t make speeches; I am not a contributor so try to answer my questions”

She looked at me and nodded. I went on:

“I think it was clear from the mid term elections that the American public do not longer believe the President and believe less in this absurd war. Remember what he said before the last November elections about the invasion: ‘we are absolutely winning in Iraq.’ By now it should be clear that additional forces will not help and will likely add to the problem; it is also evident that with more troops, there will be more locations vulnerable to attack.”

She shook her head and in a sad tone replied:

“The generals in the Pentagon are responsible for the current confusion”

“Of course you are kidding” I could not help myself. But I continued:

“I listened to the President again this morning, t

and believe less in this absurd war. Remember what he said before the last November elections about the invasion: ‘we are absolutely winning in Iraq.’ By now it should be clear that additional forces will not help and will likely add to the problem; it is also evident that with more troops, there will be more locations vulnerable to attack.”

She shook her head and in a sad tone replied:

“The generals in the Pentagon are responsible for the current confusion”

“Of course you are kidding” I could not help myself. But I continued:

“I listened to the President again this morning, trying to explain how and why he declared before the November elections that ‘we are absolutely, winning in Iraq’. I think it was more wishful thinking than a firm statement. I also think that he hoped that such was the case - even though he admits that we are not winning”

“What you just said is unacceptable. Your implications are anti-patriotic, libelous and somehow soil the purity of the first amendment. Let me see your press pass again!”

She took note of the details in the pass, left the room a minute and returned with a serious expression on her face. “The interview is over, thank you”. Then, as an afterthought she asked: “By the way, are you old enough to be eligible for the draft?”

On my way out of the building, I went to the men’s room on the ground floor, took the hair piece off, removed my tie and eyeglasses, stuck the jacket in the reversible briefcase and put on a Braves baseball cap and a green windbreaker with a Save the Planet logo. All in thirty five seconds, so I was free to get on a taxi, went to the airport and was in the flight to Montreal within 30 minutes.