Since it's the anniversary of the start of Iraq war, I thought I might share with you an excerpt from an e-mail I sent to my husband, who was doing research abroad at the time, on March 21, 2003.

Saw footage of devastating explosions in Baghdad, as I'm sure you have as well… I also saw a picture of a soldier replacing an Iraqi flag with the US flag. What the hell is that about?

The more I think about it, this weapons of mass destruction business strikes me as a red herring. Not that Hussein doesn't have chemical or biological weapons; but I don't think that's the real reason we're going to war. On the other hand, I don't think this is a simple oil grab, either. What this war is about is transforming the political landscape in the Middle East, and *stabilizing* the oil supply for years to come… this whole thing strikes me as more of a geopolitical master plan than a simple confrontation over banned weapons. 9/11 and fear of terrorism simply provided the opportunity to do what many in Bush's administration have wanted to do for years… This whole thing is much more about strategy than is being let on to the public.

Suffice it to say, I was ahead of the curve.