The demonic Donald Rumsfeld.

The Irish in many ways have a softer and more subtle way of saying things. The alternative word in England for excrement sounds to me rather crude and offensive but if like the Irish you add an 'e' to the word it becomes shite an altogether more softer and attractive expletive.

The word came to mind when I was reading 'Rumsfeld - An American Disaster' by Andrew Cockburn. Rumsfeld has to be the greatest shite of the last decade. If anyone thought Bush was bad be grateful that Rumsfeld did not rise higher in the game of politics.

The documentation of the activities of Rumsfeld is also an expose of the pernicious US system of lobbying and political contributions for favours past and future. It is an area that should cause increasing concern in this country and which calls for absolute transparency. The present checks and balances in our system are totally inadequate.