Bush's Iraq Plan as a Concealed Exit Strategy

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Connecticut U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd has many of the qualities that would make a good president. He has wide experience in a branch of government, broad familiarity with foreign affairs and with Third World problems, and a compassionate voting record on domestic issues. Whether his position as essentially a moderate gives him enough appeal to offset that of the more flamboyant competitors for the Democratic nomination remains to be seen. As the father of two young daughters, does he really want to relinquish his family life? Does he really have fire in his belly?

Connecticut’s other senator, Joe Lieberman, who is obviously President Bush’s favorite Democrat, is in a position to hold his party hostage. Listen to me or I may join the Republicans. The war aside, that could make an unfortunate difference on some close votes in domestic affairs.

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As a onetime boater on Long Island Sound, I believe in keeping that treasure as pristine as possible. Thus I am concerned by the plan to moor a floating liquefied natural gas terminal about the length of two football fields in the middle of the sound at its widest point south of New Haven. The terminal would serve needs in Connecticut as well as on Long Island.

Other things being equal, I would rather not have this artificial impediment to the serenity of the sound. But if we are serious about wanting to reduce our dependence on Middle East oil and diversify our energy sources, we are going to have to make some compromises. On matters ranging from the location of electrical transmission lines (Connecticut has the most congestion of anywhere in New England, which acts to increase prices) to the location of windpower facilities on or near Cape Cod, the greater good of the greater number ought to be the criterion.

As with the location of moderate-income housing in Salisbury, Sharon, Millerton and Pine Plains, the interest of neighbors always must receive consideration. Ideally the final decision probably should be made by a disinterested outside body strictly weighing merits and objections. That may not always be possible, but what should be clear is that, if NIMBY (not in my back yard) were to govern such decisions, not much would get done.

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When our kids were young, they somehow thought that the frisky little beasts that frolicked on our trees and lawn were called "squirriels." Well, it’s time for a report on the "squirriel" problem as it affects our bird feeder, which I dutifully take out each morning and take in at night to evade bears.

I hope I am not in the position of General Custer on the eve of a disaster, but I must acknowledge that for the moment, at least, the problem is solved. A patented inverted plastic bowl with a hole in it is fastened just under the feeder on the pole that holds it up. I have watched a succession of gray and red squirrels give up in frustration when they cannot get around the bowl above their heads as they try to climb the pole.

So the device works admirably, although I don’t suppose it would deter a determined bear. By the by, where are the bears that were so much in evidence last year?

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Would you believe? Our neighbor, Muriel Young, goes me one better on my report about a 94-year-old man who lamented that his dog had eaten his hearing aid. She recalls that the late Frank Battin of Low Road in Sharon had a black lab that was so exuberant in greeting its master that it knocked out his hearing aid on two separate occasions, consuming it each time.