as the oft-declared, or so-called, "War on Drugs" proven, in any way, to be a success? I think not. A preferable approach might well be forthcoming in the approach proposed by the newly installed drug czar. His name is Gil Kerlikowske and his official title is better than the Russian sounding "Czar". He's the head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. This Obama appointee says he wants to abolish the idea that the U.S. is fighting a "war on drugs", towards an approach that favors treatment over incarceration in trying to reduce illicit drug use.

he Republicans (remember them?) seem to have adopted the circular firing squad as their symbol. An online video commercial currently being shown, at the behest of the Democratic National Committee portrays the warring GOP leadership as contestants in the reality show "Survivor". That's the show where a group of castaways plot against each other until only one remains.

Andrew Ward writing for the Financial Times summed it up with a simple sentence or two; "A party once renowned for its discipline has split into bickering factions. It is a family feud so fierce that even the 97-year-old matriarch has become involved." He's referring to Roberta McCain, mother of John McCain, the former Republican presidential candidate. The old lady entered this civil war with a tirade against Rush Limbaugh, the very unofficial voice of the Republican right. She said, "What he represents of the Republican party has noting to do with my side of it." She added that she didn't know what the man means and that she doesn't know what he's talking about. Now is the time for the Republicans to find a future leader.

e know, from almost every report, that the war in Afghanistan is not going well. If the Taliban continue to make gains, there will be even greater suffering to the Afghan people. President Obama has made the right move there, by deciding to select his own man as top commander. He fired Gen. David McKiernan and replaced him with Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal. It is a must win war that, at the moment, we are not winning. The ousted General surely doesn't deserve the blame for the poor military situation in Afghanistan; that has been the case for a long while in large measure because of the war in Iraq. The Bush administration failed for several years to invest adequate troops, resources, or concern to the Afghan fight.

The replacement, Gen. McChrystal, has an impressive military reputation. His actions brought about the capture of Saddam Hussein and the discovery and killing of the leader of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Both were carried out by special forces under his command. More troops are on the way.

he way things are going for the former giants of the automotive industry it seems possible that our next vehicle will be a Chrysler, Fiat, Ford, GM, UAW, Government, Hybrid.