WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN FROM OUR STUDENTS

Looks like Japanese PM Yasuo Fukuda is finding out the hard way that Japanese democracy actually has some semblance of legitimacy. The Guardian Unlimited reports (see story here) that Mr. Fukuda may be forced to call an early general election after having failed so miserably "to win opposition backing for the country's participation in the US-led war in Afghanistan."

Now, I'm not the kind of person to say "I told you so" but if you read my recent posts you'll see I told you so. If only we had the luxury of living in a legitimate democracy we might not still be so deeply embedded in the worst foreign policy decision in US history. But, alas, opposition is nothing if not a dirty word in US politics.