A day at CENTCOM

Dateline: SWA flights back from Tampa through Chicago to Indy, 12 October 2005

Pretty cool day. Into Central Command's HQ at MacDill by 8:15, starting with relaxed breakfast with head officer and leading brains (so many guys in cammies with PhDs!) of General John Abizaid's commander's advisory group, or CAG. This is the private little think tank of the CENTCOM's boss.

Then off to special auditorium of coalition forces in "coalition village." Brief goes two hours with Q&A to about 50 foreign senior officers (more countries than I can remember) and about 50 CENTCOM middle officers.

Then a private chat with Abizaid himself in his office. Good talk. Very smart guy. More to come, at their choosing on time.

Here's the official photo. Have no idea why I do that with my neck. Nervous I guess. Just don't know how to pose for a photo. Always pull my head back like a turtle or something!

Then lunch with CAG brains.

Then brief to middling-to-senior officers of CENTCOM, with small audience linked by video screen in Qatar at forward command.

Then two SWA flights home after Northwest cancels my second leg of round trip because I neglected to take first leg (due to Enterra stint in Princeton).

Remind me never to fly Northwest again, those pricks.

Ooop! Think I'm flying them again tomorrow Ö

Here's the daily catch:

■ Pakistan's pain perturbs across the system

■ The immoral logic of American food aid

■ Canada reminds the U.S. that connectivity goes both ways

■ China plan to make sure the caboose doesn't fall too far behind

■ Oooh! The U.S. has filed charges on Kim!

■ Earth to Germany: hyphens are good!

■ Brazil keeps waging the good fight on AIDS

■ The mature IT industry: Enterra's been a real lesson

■ A one-sided clash within a civilization