We can still learn things from America.

The Washington Post has just recorded that Senate Democrats and Republicans broke a difficult stalemate last night and approved 96 to 2 expansive legislation to curtail the influence of lobbyists, tighten congressional ethics rules and prevent the spouses of senators from lobbying senators and their staffs.

We could perhaps consider following this example.

Mr Blair is right to call for a debate about the role the United Kingdom should play in the World. Whether the role he has been playing will be endorsed is another matter.

It is an obsession of Mr Blair and others who appear to believe that they have a unique and special role to play in the World and that we should "punch above our weight" in international affairs. It is this arrogance and the unwillingness to pursue our political objectives through multi-national organisations that has led in part to the debacle that is Iraq.

The empirical evidence is that there is no part of British life, with the possible exception of the BBC, where we can lay claim to being intrinsically better or more moral or intelligent than other nations whether it be in politic leadership, public services, architecture, sport or any other field of human activity. There is absolutely no evidence that somehow the United Kingdom is uniquely qualified to play a special role in the World. Neither do we have the economic strength to posture on the world stage as though it was still the days of Empire.

The problem is that whilst we continue to believe that somehow we are especially qualified to have the leadership role we dissipate our efforts to develop a decent and honest society in Britain from which lasting influence would emerge.

The debate when it is held will need to consider whether it is in our national interest to squander our resources in wars, independent nuclear deterrents and other follies de grandeur that arguably contribute nothing to the well-being or defence of our country.

There is alledgedly to be an announcement by Mr Bush later today that he will commit a further 20,000 troops to the debacle that is Iraq. This represents a fundemental change and is further evidence of his state of denial.

The change is that he will be doing something he has avoided since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 by ordering his top military brass to take action they initially resisted and advised against.

I like old adages. The one that seems to be the most apposite to the reaction of Mr Bush to the civil war in Iraq is 'When you are in a hole first stop digging'.

The provision of a further 20,000 troops (when according to expert military opinion 50,000 would not effect an acceptable solution) is the reaction of some one who doesn't appear to recognise the depth and size of the hole he is in. Mr Bush is clearly in denial.

The continuing or increased presence of foreign troops in Iraq only serves to exacerbate the problem. It is in every ones interest that we withdraw. Once the Iraq Government has decided on the solution to the debacle (that Messrs Bush & Blair have to a large part created) it is to be hoped that the peaceful aid we provide over the next three years will at least equal the amount we have spent in the past three creating the problem.

The deplorable death of a child in Liverpool should cause us all to examine our attitude to dogs.

When I lived in Iceland the authorities and citizens had what I thought was an intelligent and appropriate attitude to the place of dogs in society. Dogs of any breed were not allowed in urban areas. They were confined to the countryside as work dogs who assisted shepherds in the control and movement of sheep.

Their exclusion from urban centres meant that there was no excrement on pavements or in parks or public open areas and there was no killing of children. As in so many other ways we can benefit from how other countries handle problems.

We really need to make our minds up whether children are more important than animals.

I have recently developed an interest in China and things Chinese. One of the books I wanted to read was entitled 'One billion shoppers' and Southampton Library did not have a copy. What they did however was to enquire of other Libraries whether they had the book.

Fife Council in Scotland had a copy, sent it to Southampton and I collected it from the Central Library in Southampton today. There was a small charge of £1.50 for this excellent service. If I had purchased a copy the cost would have been £20 plus postage and packing assuming it was still in print.

We are lucky to have such a fine Library Service in Southampton.

In November last year I visited my daughter in Hong Kong. She lives on Lantau Island at Discovery Bay where the authorities do not allow residents to run private motor cars. They are however allowed to get around in a golf cart.

I mentioned this over Christmas to an old friend in Wales who told me a friend of his also lived on Lantau. One day this friend had allegedly been at the well many times and crashed his conveyance. He was subsequently convicted of drink driving whilst in charge of a golf cart.

Must be a fairly unique criminal record!