This Web Blog was haphazardly produced without using Spell Check one danged time. We like it that way.

The person I feel most for today is Benazir Bhutto's mother, who has seen her entire family slaughtered. Her husband, the first civilian Prime Minister of Pakistan, was hung by the military government who succeeded his own. Her sons were respectively poisoned and shot dead - as now her daughter has been.

That daughter, Benazir, was twice Prime Minister of the country - before the military took over again - and driven into exile and shame over corruption charges. She was the first female leader of a nation in south Asia, let alone a Muslim country. As NBC News has reported, she knew that she was risking her life by returning to the country. Her e-mail to NBC News about how she expected to die is very telling.

So here we are at the beginning of 2008 witnessing another flashpoint, another example of the massive failure of United States foreign policy planning in the region. If you thought Afghanistan was bad, get ready for a real ride in Pakistan.

This could have been prevented.

If we could easily give Musharraf FIVE BILLION DOLLARS - which remains unaccounted for - to pretend that he was helping us find bin Laden, we could have provided Bhutto a lot less support to make sure that she stayed alive and brought democracy back to Pakistan. That's a no-brainer.

But on Condi Rice's watch it seems to be all words and no results. That's a fact, too.

Maybe she's too busy buying new shoes.

As to The Decider, we all know he can't find Pakistan on a map.

So, as we go into 2008, the world is less stable. Pakistan is a nuclear power. They have an on-going animosity toward India - the world's largest actual democracy - and they have sympathies for the very Islamic terrorists, by way of their security forces, that we claim are at war with us. I hope I'm not missing something here but this reads like a foreign policy disaster of major proportions for the United Sta tes and the West. So who should take responsibility? You tell me.

We all know the answer, of course. We all know where to look.

If you haven't already, do check this out from Billy Joel. Cass Dillon does a great job here.

Merry Christmas from Fallujah.

There is only one way to support our troops: BRING THEM HOME.

BTW. here's a musical site and production studio that I like. I think you should check it out because he deals with indeprendent producers and artists. Always a good thing.

Do check out his Blog and his music. You'll be glad you did. I'll have MUCH more to say about his work over time.

Just so you know, Christina and I have some great guests on the Internet radio show in 2008. We'll open the year with Salt Lake City's Mayor Rocky Anderson and photographer and artist William Purcell. As he leaves office, Rocky has a lot to say. The show only gets better after that. You can join Christina in the chat room or talk to me live on air. But be careful. I'm dangerous.And the Lightning Strikes Group will return, of course. You never know what to expect from them.

You know what to expect from me at the beginning of a new year.

I have a number of plans. The most important is to make enough to go to Europe next year and finally meet - face-to-face - so many of the writers from Africa, Europe and Asia who have written for me over the years.

I consider them family but have not met most of them because of finances and distance. One of my great dreams is to finally be able to embrace them all and let them know how they have enriched my life, God willing/insha'Allah.

Besides that dream, I hope to garner some new clients to facilitate that wish. I hope for love, too, though I know that is a stretch.

And, yes, I hope for peace on Earth. There are now more refugees in the world, there is more poverty, there is more hopelessness than at any time in the last fifty years and it tears my heart apart.

Governments and corporations must STOP pretending that serious damage is not being done not only to our infrastructures but our souls.

That said, I shall end this Jeremiad. I believe my thinking and convictions have been made clear over the last twelve years I have written here on the Web. I don't need to elaborate.

Here I sit wishing you all a happy, prosperous, peaceful 2008.

Thanks for coming back.

Cheers!

Keep me in your prayers as I keep you in my own.

Thanks for visiting.

Talk to you in a day or so.

Be well.