Peace in Our Time

This week's letter is going to be a little shorter than normal, for which some of you are probably grateful. We are moving our offices back into the Ballpark in Arlington overlooking right center field (see more below). With the normal list of things to do, plus packing plus moving decisions, time is just short.

We almost have to start with the events in Spain. There are economic implications that are less than subtle. When coupled with other stories from the US they reveal a deep-seated rift, indeed a level of mistrust which may be the harbinger of problems to come.

But to set the table for the analysis, let's first look at what the Spanish election reveals about the mindset in Europe. It underscores the recent Pew polls which show a sharp division between Europe and at least the 50% of the US which supports the Bush administration.

I read the political speeches of the Spanish left blaming the government's involvement in Iraq as the cause for the bombing and then saw…