Originally scheduled to be published on December 6, the story, ‘Neo Culpa’, was dynamite, so the magazine rushed a summary on to its website the weekend before the elections. The so-called “architects of the Iraq war” turned on president Bush with the venom of women scorned. Richard Perle, a former chairman of the Pentagon’s Defence Policy Board Advisory Committee, is quoted as saying: “The decisions did not get made that should have been made... At the end of the day, you have to hold the president responsible.” It was 8 o’clock in the morning, and I was befuddled by jet-lag – think Pete Doherty on a bad, or George W. Bush on a good, day. Nevertheless, I congratulated David and put down the phone in thoughtful mood.
Warm Stan
I had flown from Chicago to London at the weekend. The queues to pass through security were lengthy and chaotic. I was reminded of a refugee camp: mothers with wailing children, the infirm, the elderly, half-clad businessmen not looking very business-like and your columnist shuffled forward at a snail’s pace.