Washington Perspectives

Arrived in Washington and arrived in a weather far more summer than anything.

From here, Europe at the moment looks like a rather messy place.

The Italians don't seem to agree on who lost the election. Well, looks like Florida, I suppose. And the French look totally lost on what to do with their economy.

And in the media here todaÿ one reads about US worries about the possibilities of terrorism coming out of the Muslim populations of Europe.

Here it's the immigration legalislation that's been thed big issues during the last few weeks. Yesterday saw massive demonstrations in favour of giving rights to illegal immigrants.

But in terms of politics the news is dominated by Iraq and Iran.

President Bush is in Des Moines talking about Medicare. That's a question of mobilizing the elderly in view of the upcoming mid-term elections in November. The ratings for his presidency has hit a new low, and the Democrats are - by default, primarily - ahead on most issues.

Still, it's Iraq and Iran that dominates the news.

Senior military commanders questioning thed judgement and leadership of Donald Rumsfeld.

And speculations concerning what to do with Iran.

Familiar issues. Will become even more so.