TONY BLAIR WINS, BUT WITH 'BLOODIED NOSE'

It would seem that Tony Blair is still England' s Prime Minister, but with a greatly reduced majority. That fewer voted for him probably reflects many Brits' unhappiness with his support for the war in Iraq. That he was not thrown out of office entirely shows that it was not as bad as it might have been. As UK papers are putting it, they kept him but showed their displeasure by giving him a "bloodied nose." (Which seems to have a special meaning in UK elections.)

In an election that was so difficult for him, it was especially touching that Jalal Talabani, Iraq's new President, sent a remarkable letter of support to Blair a few days before the election, early enough for Blair to use it in the election if he chose. It is a marvelous and very moving letter, one that deserves to be remembered by history.

He speaks of how the Brits, once the conquerers of Iraq, have become its liberators. A Kurd himself, he speaks of how the Brits helped make the Kurdish part of Iraq in the north of Iraq a protected area ever since the First Gulf War in 1991. (He does not speak of the U.S., but after all, this is a letter of thanks specifically to the Brits, and to Tony Blair, most pointedly at a time when it might help him stay in office. We can afford to forgive him for that, since he is trying to keep our closest ally from being punished for helping us.)

He also speaks of how the real war began long before we started our war. That with Saddam, it was war every day, against the Iraqis themselves. He speaks of how grateful they are to have been set free. And he asks patience as Iraqis try to rebuild Iraq after Saddam spent 30 years destroying it.

But you can read the letter for yourself, here. It will help start your day off right.