Dear George,

Sorry I've not written in a while, but work's been hectic since you liberated the people of Iraq. Now I've finally got a chance to catch my breath at home, I just thought I'd write to congratulate you on the fantastic job your boys are doing in the Middle East.

First and foremost, it's good to know that with the major hostilities having been over in Iraq for a good 100 days or so, that you're persisting with the mission. Obviously minor setbacks are to be expected, such as today's attack on the UN's headquarters in Baghdad, in which their Special Envoy was among the 15 or more people killed, but you shouldn't see that as a failure. No, just like the 60 American soldiers, half dozen or so British troops, handful of journalists and countless Iraqi civilians who have lost their lives since the war ended, today's mishap only serves to justify the action you took in taking on these savages.

Yes, I know there are those out there who'll be saying they were right when they told you you'd only make things worse by invading a sovereign Islamic state, but they're ignoring the facts. You only have to look at the incidents in Casablanca, Jakarta, and Afghanistan over the last three months to see that this problem of Islamist terrorism is on the increase and to do nothing about it would be wrong. The fact that all this has happened since you went head to head with Saddam is surely just a coincidence.

I wonder whether you've noticed what's going on over here. Government's having a little trouble from the lefty media who seem to be suggesting Britain's case for war may not have been watertight. They're making out the government may not have been quite as on message as yours. But fortunately quotes from Blair's inner circle about the dossier on Iraq's WMDs like "the document does nothing to demonstrate a threat, let alone an imminent threat from Saddam" and "we will need to make it clear in launching the document that we do not claim that we have evidence that he is an imminent threat" didn't put Tony off saying that weapons of mass destruction could be deployed in 45 minutes.

Of course, it's mighty strange that no one knows where that figure came from, but you really shouldn't be worried about how they found the right argument when it was needed, just that they agreed they'd come up with something "convincing for those who are prepared to be convinced."

Just before I go, can I just say how sorry I am that you're losing Colin Powell after the next election. I realise how much he's meant to your administration, especially over the past few months. People always seemed slightly more ready to listen to what his honest face had to convey, especially with his reputation for being the more caring kind of soldier with an almost tangible sense of justice. Kind of ironic, isn't it, that the man who makes harsh realities easier to stomach for the rest of the world just doesn't seem to have the stomach for the job any more.

I know Condie and the Wolf Man are both bright sparks capable of doing the job in this tough world, but they don't have Col's human touch for when you need to schmooze before you shoot. A word to the wise, old friend: you may just need that down the line.

Anyway, must dash. Got to be up at five to get back to the old grindstone - after all, who knows what those damn resistance fighters will get up to next?

Love to Laura and the girls,

B.x.