You really have to laugh. What is it with those Turks? 89% of the people opposed, the US throws money at them, and that old pesky parliament says no. On Friday State Department spokesman Richard Boucher made it clear the US was growing impatient with Ankara over the delay of the vote. "We've substantially completed our negotiations with the Turkish Government over the economic, political and military documents that can outline US-Turkey co-operation with respect to Iraq," he said
                      "It's now up to Prime Minister
                      [Abdullah] Gul and his cabinet to
                      complete the Turkish political
                      process."

I.e. get this done. Meanwhile, the gallant Canadian Prime Minister and his Mexican colleague (George's old ranchero buddy for a week or so) are truly unhappy over the latest (gasp) revelation that George is really trying to get rid of Saddam, whatever that pesky UN resolution says. And now I see that Guinea (new chair of Security Council for this month (!) is worrying Washington. Cheney was right: once you start down the road of paying attention to other countries, you will end up wining and dining Bulgaria. You really have to laugh.

yours, Peter T.